Topic > Christian Living > Rest >
Are you flying solo?
Running on empty? Fainting from exhaustion? Welcome to the “new normal”—where everybody’s always stressed! Today on Discover the Word, we will discuss what to do when we find ourselves depleted—spirit, soul, and body. Chances are good that it’s because we’re flying solo when God calls us to live in relationship. De-stress your life with a […]
Calming Your Soul
While attending a concert, my mind detoured to a troublesome issue that insisted on my attention. Thankfully, the distraction was short-lived as the words of a beautiful hymn began to reach deep into my being. A men’s a capella group was singing “Be Still, My Soul.” Tears welled up as I listened to the words and contemplated the restful peace that only God can give:
Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side! Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain; Leave to thy God to order and provide; In every change He faithful will remain.
When Jesus was denouncing the unrepentant towns where He…
The Survival Float
Sunlight glittered on the swimming pool in front of me. I overheard an instructor speaking to a student who had been in the water for quite a while. He said, “It looks like you’re getting tired. When you’re exhausted and in deep water, try the survival float.”
Certain situations in life require us to spend our mental, physical, or emotional energy in a way that we can’t sustain. David described a time when his enemies were threatening him and he felt the emotional weight of their anger. He needed to escape the distress he was experiencing.
As he processed his feelings, he…
An invitation versus a command
What if you called your dog using a “bad dog” tone of voice? Would the dog come running with its tail wagging, or come slinking with tail between its legs? Today on Discover the Word, the group discusses the big difference between Jesus issuing an invitation to rest, versus a command. One stems from grace, the […]
Relying on His strength as we navigate life
Have you heard the expressions, “I’m going to power through” or “We just have to plow ahead?” Usually, those words imply a “grit-my-teeth-do-it-in-my-own-strength” kind of effort. Today on Discover the Word, we invite you to hitch yourself to Jesus’s plow, relying on His strength as you navigate life, allowing Him to set the pace. Only […]
How can we “rest well”?
It sounds wrong, but sometimes it really does take effort to rest! But can we draw closer to Jesus without rest? This week on Discover the Word, the group discusses what Jesus meant when He said “My yoke is easy, My burden is light.” How can we “Rest Well”? Join us today for Discover the Word!
An invitation from Jesus to rest
Suppose you receive an engraved invitation in the mail. It’s from Jesus and it says, “Come to My house and rest.” Sounds nice, but since you don’t know what He necessarily means by “rest,” you keep referring back to your “To Do” list. You’re thinking, Do I even have time for rest? Today on Discover […]
Sabbath rest
Do you struggle to find time to rest? Well, you’re not alone! Today on Discover the Word, join the group as they discuss the concept of Sabbath rest. For some, the idea of rest may sound almost un-American! After all, if we’re not doing something then we’re not being productive, right? Join the team as […]
Human Race
The alarm clock goes off. Too early, it seems. But you have a long day ahead. You have work to do, appointments to keep, people to care for, or all this and more. Well, you are not alone. Each day, many of us rush from one matter to another. As someone has wittily suggested, “That’s why we are called the human race.”
When the apostles returned from their first mission trip, they had a lot to report. But Mark did not record Jesus’ evaluation of the disciples’ work; rather, he focused on His concern that they rest awhile. Jesus said,…
Self-Care
After my husband underwent heart surgery, I spent an anxious night by his hospital bed. Mid-morning, I remembered a scheduled haircut. “I’ll have to cancel,” I said, raking my fingers distractedly through my straggly hair.
“Mom, just wash your face and go to your appointment,” my daughter said.
“No, no,” I insisted. “It doesn’t matter. I need to be here.”
“I’ll stay,” Rosie said. “Self-care, Mom. . . . Self-care. You’re of more use to Dad if you take care of yourself.”
Moses was wearing himself out serving alone as judge over the Israelites. Jethro cautioned his son-in-law Moses: “You will only wear [yourself] out.…
Solitude and Service
Comedian Fred Allen said, “A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well-known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized.” Fame often brings loss of privacy along with a relentless frenzy of attention.
When Jesus began His public ministry of teaching and healing, He was catapulted into the public eye and thronged by people seeking help. Crowds followed Him wherever He went. But Jesus knew that having regular time alone with God was essential to maintaining strength and perspective.
After Jesus’ twelve disciples returned from their successful mission “to proclaim the kingdom of God and to…
How To Break Up Your Marriage (to Work)
“Faith! Join us after service today for lunch . . . Don’t tell me you’re working on a Sunday again . . . you’re always working!” Unfortunately, it was true.
An Invitation to Rest
At a friend’s bedside in a hospital emergency ward, I was moved by the sounds of suffering I heard from other patients in pain. As I prayed for my friend and for the ailing patients, I realized anew how fleeting our life on earth is. Then I recalled an old country song by Jim Reeves that talks about how the world is not home for us—we’re “just a-passin’ through.”
Our world is full of weariness, pain, hunger, debt, poverty, disease, and death. Because we must pass through such a world, Jesus’ invitation is welcome and timely: “Come to me, all you…
Christmas Rest
As a boy I delivered newspapers in order to earn money. Since it was a morning newspaper, I was required to get up at 3:00 every morning, 7 days a week, in order to have all 140 of my papers delivered to their appropriate homes by 6:00 a.m.
But one day each year was different. We would deliver the Christmas morning newspaper on Christmas Eve—meaning that Christmas was the only morning of the year I could sleep in and rest like a normal person.
Over the years, I came to appreciate Christmas for many reasons, but one that was special in those…
Jesus restores and cares for you and me
Psalm 23 begins by using sheep to illustrate the Good Shepherd’s tender care for us. But then David goes beyond the basics and into the deep recesses of the soul. Today on “Discover the Word,” we will talk about the meaning behind the words, “He restores my soul and guides me in the paths of righteousness.” During those times when we’re tired, anxious, or upset, Jesus gives us a restored sense of peace and rest. That’s today on “Discover the Word.”
