Our thoughts are more important than we realize. Many of us have been thoroughly trained to think that any degree of success we experience is entirely up to us. The world subscribes to the “God helps those who help themselves” mentality; however, this is nowhere to be found in the Bible. God wants us to succeed, but He wants to be the one to make that possible.
We open ourselves up to stress and frustration when we try to make our own way through life independent of God. It’s impossible to predict what could happen in the future. We need God to guide us, and we must depend on Him. Life is like a vapor that can appear for a while and then vanish away.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, who takes great delight in every detail of our lives; we simply need to trust Him to lead us. Even when we devise our own way in our hearts, God directs our steps—if we’re wise enough to let Him do so. Relying on Him gives us wisdom and directs us to the rest and peace of mind He wants for us. When we’re tired, Jesus wants to give us a real rest by teaching us the unforced rhythms of grace.
The finished works of Jesus have made available to us everything we’ll ever need in life. We don’t have to toil endlessly; our provisions are already there. In the Old Testament, God promised the people He would give them good things they didn’t work for; that’s exactly what happened. This promise still holds true for us when we rest in what He did.
God created us to operate out of rest, not stress or worry. All the blessings we enjoy are because of His unmerited favor toward us, not from our own striving. God is the source of grace and peace. When we rest, we see God’s best.
Prayer:
Lord, there are plenty of things in life we can’t foresee; thankfully, we don’t have to depend on ourselves to navigate. You want us to succeed on every level; we will when we rest in You. We’re grateful. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Scriptures:
James 4:14
Psalm 37:23
Proverbs 16:9
Matthew 11:28, 29, MSG
Deuteronomy 6:10-12
Joshua 24:13
Galatians 1:3