Rest From Stress

Posted June 29, 2007

A commentary by Zach Smith

Blaring in my ear, the annoying sound of the alarm clock woke me up. I hit the snooze button three times, then rushed around the house getting ready and was on my way to fight traffic to my 8 a.m. class.

The next class started at 10, leaving 15 minutes in between for some last-minute study for a test. Struggling through the test, I tried to dig up information I knew was inside somewhere. After more hours and more classes I raced through more traffic to arrive at work by 5 p.m. Spending six hours there, I traveled home to eat a midnight dinner. Finally, after trying to study a little more, I went off to sleep so I could do it all again the next day.

Life can be busy, hectic and stressful, so when I finally get home, I am thankful for a rest from the day's activities. Going to school, holding a job, doing homework and having time in between to breathe can be tough, but these are stresses in many young people's lives. Fortunately, we are offered rest from that stress.

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). Jesus Christ tells us that when we are working hard and our load gets too heavy, He will give us the rest we need. But how does He expect us to find this rest?

• Ask. God knows what stress we can handle and when we need help, but He wants us to ask for it. He wants us to acknowledge that we need Him with us in all we do. Go to God in prayer with a humble attitude, and He will give you rest. Be it for help with a test or for energy just to keep going, first you have to ask God for His help.

• Seek. It's encouraging to know that others have dealt with stress too. Search the Bible for the real-life stories of both the faithful and unfaithful. When you read these accounts, place yourself in the shoes of God's servants and you can gain a new perception on stress. With God no stress is too big to handle. He can help you defeat a giant, conquer a new land or cross your own personal Red Sea. Studying God's Word can bring comfort, peace and encouragement when you need it most.

• Knock… and keep knocking! Rest from stress may not come as soon as you rise from your knees after praying. You may have to keep asking and keep seeking, but don't give up. God does not forget His promises. Jesus Christ said He would give you rest…and He will.

By far the greatest opportunity for us to rest from each week's stress is on God's Sabbath day. He gives us one whole day every week to have rest from this world's pressures. God created the Sabbath for man, knowing we would need some rest (Mark 2:27). Take advantage of the day. In Vertical Thought's parent magazine The Good News read more about rest, stress and the Sabbath in "When Do I Get a Break?"

Don't let this world get you down or stress you out. Follow God's instruction to come to Him, and He will see you through school, work and the hectic troubles of life. God will give you rest from stress. VT