Yes, Rest for the Weary

When all you want is a little relief.

Matthew Henry

 

IF YOU'VE LIVED LONG ENOUGH, you've endured periods of unrest in your life.

These seasons come in many forms, but I suspect they affect us all. Some might have to deal with illness, either chronic or acute. Some might be struggling with stress from work keeping them up at night. Still others might just have more to do than they have time to accomplish. These are just a few examples.

Through these seasons it can be difficult to carry on. All we want is some relief—rest from the chaos. It's only by the hope of rest that we can continue.

If I can just make it until 5:00 PM, then I can rest.

If I can survive this semester, I'll be okay.

If I can endure for seven days, this infection will be gone.

Doctors love to prescribe fluids and rest for patients dealing with a variety of illnesses. And, of course, this is sound advice. But what if sleeping provides no rest at all?

Your Only Reason for Hope in a World Full of Suffering

A preview of March's email-only article.

Rosie Kerr

Did you know I write a free monthly article just for email subscribers? It's true!

This month we're discussing one biblical truth that makes enduring hardship so much easier.

Here's how the article starts:

 

Have you ever wondered why Jesus had to rise from death?

Why couldn't his life—his teaching, his miracles, and his sacrifice—suffice? The apostle Paul wrote that "if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain" (1 Cor. 15:17, KJV).

So obviously Paul believed the resurrection to be central to Christianity. But why?

 

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What Jesus Would Say to the Helpless and Hopeless Inside Each of Us

I'm excited to be featured on Unlocking the Bible today!

Photo by Ethan Sykes

I wrote about what Jesus wants you to know in times when you feel overwhelmed or in situations when you are without hope. Here's how it begins:

If you are a human, no doubt you have felt hopeless at times. You’ve endured seasons in your life when everything around you seemed to be crumbling, and you couldn’t do anything about it. 

If you are human, you’ve probably felt helpless a time or two. You may have believed that nothing you could do would make any difference no matter how hard you tried. 

If we’re not careful, these seasons of hopelessness can morph into an ongoing outlook on life; we begin to expect the worst to happen. We believe things are already decided against us—and there’s nothing we can do. 

It’s almost impossible to turn on the news or swipe through social media feeds without seeing some sort of horrible incident played out. With so much devastation and injustice around us, it is tempting to give up and resign ourselves to the evil around us.

Want to read the rest? Click here to head over to UnlockingTheBible.org.

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Are You Taking The Lord's Name In Vain Without Even Knowing It?

"I'm just a realist."

Have you ever heard that phrase before? You may have said it yourself a time or two.

Jeffrey (CC)

Pessimists drag it out like it's a pet. They hold it up to their cheek, close their eyes, and comfort themselves with it.

Then they go on being sourpusses and killjoys.


What's Wrong With Pessimism?

There's nothing wrong with pessimism if you're an atheist.
There's nothing wrong with pessimism if you're a naturalist, a post-modernist, an existentialist.

But if you claim Christ, don't tell me you're just a realist.

Because if you believe in Jesus, here's the reality: