Finding True Rest in God's Sovereign Care

True rest is not found in all the activities, religious or not, that we do. It's not found in, you know, spending an extra five hours in prayer, although it's not a bad idea. But it's found in trusting a sovereign God. It's in knowing who God is. It's in that connection and that union that he wants us to enter into. [00:27:12] (33 seconds)  #TrustInSovereignRest

There's weariness that happens in the middle of unrest. And I fear too many times as Christians we're struggling with the weariness of this temporary home that we live in now. And I believe we all need to find a place where we're free to just lie down. Amen? [00:29:22] (21 seconds)  #WearinessInTemporaryHome

When we fully submit our all to the care of a shepherd, the natural and spiritual response for us is to enter a position of rest. Think about that. Maybe if you're struggling to find rest in your soul, maybe if you're struggling to find that place where you're just at ease with what's going on around you, even though there's chaos. Put your eyes on God. Put your eyes on the shepherd and allow him to do what he can only do. [00:35:05] (36 seconds)  #AllowGodToMove

Let me make this point this morning, that God and his loving kindness will make us lie down eventually. He's going to allow something to come into our life that helps us to lie down. [00:37:21] (16 seconds)  #RunningFromRest

Sometimes God allows circumstances that force us to slow down. Sometimes it's illness. Sometimes it's disappointments, unexpected changes. All of these things that he sometimes allows because he's more interested in his relationship with us than all the things that we can be doing. [00:40:10] (18 seconds)  #GodUsesCircumstancesToRest

God designed us to need rest so we could embrace the truths to understand his grace and his love for us. And that's why I believe there's something deeper when we look at the underlying of these passages that connects us to God and his rest. It's a kind of rest that comes from witnessing God's care. It's a kind of rest that comes from understanding God's endless love for us and his compassion that he has on our lives. [00:42:55] (36 seconds)  #RestInGodsGrace

The kind of rest that scripture seems to be speaking of is the kind that arises when we know, when we see, and we begin to rely on God and his sovereign care for our lives and for who we are. [00:44:31] (15 seconds)  #RestFromSovereignCare

There's a glorious rest that comes by only sitting under and beholding a sovereign God who loves you, who cares about you, who knows you, who desires the very best for you. [00:45:36] (17 seconds)  #GloriousRestInGod

So this type of surrender isn't always easy. Sometimes it's hard work to find rest. I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but sometimes we have to purpose. Sometimes we have to plan to make sure that we put ourselves in a place where we can find the peace. But as we surrender, as we begin to gaze upon him and put our hope in him, the rest begins to come. And true freedom begins to enter our souls and allows us to just open up ourselves and say, okay, God, here I am. Here I am. I entrust everything to you. [00:55:35] (47 seconds)  #PurposefulRest

This kind of rest is not a temporary pause from life, but it's about being rooted in God's presence. It enables us to live with peace, with purpose, no matter the circumstances that we find ourselves in. And as we encounter God, as we encounter God's rest, we're reminded that we're never alone. Amen? We're never alone. And that his love is enough for every moment that we find ourselves in. [00:59:12] (33 seconds)  #RootedInGodsPresence