We can often ask the question… what is faith? Simply, it is to rely on and trust in something or some person. But it is not meant to be a mental struggle where we tire ourselves out trying too hard to believe. Perhaps we need to stop and rest for a while.

I recall an incident in my teenage years when several of us were going for a long country bike ride. The previous evening, I stayed up late getting my bike ready for the next day’s journey. We set off early…. but after a couple of hours, I felt totally exhausted and told the others I had to stop. I then found a grassy safe spot on the roadside and slept for an hour or more before continuing.

My memory of this experience is quite vivid for I recall a feeling of total exhaustion where nothing else mattered but to stop my riding and have a REST! Today, it reminds me of how important it is to understand that there is a spiritual rest aspect to faith.

The Bible records that God rested after the creation of the heavens and the earth. Our understanding of creation is irrelevant to the fact that God RESTED on the seventh day…. who wouldn’t rest after such a creative work? The animals and the creation of man, male and female was completed on the sixth day and God then rested, (Gen. 2:1-3) NIV.

God then visited the earth for another creative work when He caused the Virgin Mary to conceive the Christ child. That work was not complete until Jesus lived, rose again and died on the cross as our sin substitute. Salvation’s work was finished.!

It is so easy to exhaust ourselves, trying to please God… who simply says… REST for the work of salvation is done.

The REST of God can perhaps be better understood if we realize that it is in fact a peaceful state, a place of rest and quiet security like a home. We all know that feeling after a long trip away… it’s so good to be home! God’s REST is part of who He is, and He shares it with us… so let us be still and enter into that REST!

Ref. Heb. 4:9-11, 10:5-10. NIV.