Ragged and run down. Sluggish and overwhelmed. What do you mean Summer is almost here? I have too much left to do to get through the school year and didn’t winter just end yesterday?
Can you relate?
With the pace at which life moves it can feel like the very thing that we crave, rest and peace, will always be out of reach. Like the desert wanderer in search of water only finding endless numbers of mirages so to is rest and peace in this life of ceaseless motion. Is it really all that bleak? Certainly there must be something that we can do to restore some semblance of sanity to our chaotic lives or is it only for the super organized, hyperactive, wonder parent that always looks completely put together.
Fact, all appearances aside no one has everything put together. WE ALL STRUGGLE. We will not see what it is like for them at night, in their home, the anxious feelings, the fear that haunts, the disappoint and discouragement. Everyone deals with these things. Is rest possible? Is peace available?
Yes. At this very moment peace is waiting for each of us. Some will say that you can only experience peace if you achieve internal calm from total detachment. Others will say that it is a momentary experience while at a retreat or on vacation. What if I told you that peace and rest are available in your work, play, and in my case noisy child filled life. Yes, really. Then you say to me; “Ok, fine I’ll consider that, but you don’t know my life. It is enough for me to make it through without collapsing from exhaustion before the end of the day.”
What I offer to you is Jesus. Too simplistic, too churchy? Sure, this answer can feel like that at first. Before you stop reading let me ask something. If an answer to finding peace and rest can be found by digging deeper within ourselves, applying ourselves a little more, or something else why has it not worked?
What if simple is exactly what we need, but have a hard time believing?
Why Jesus? How does this really help; practically speaking?
When we grind away at our life with our plans, increased focus, and goals we will succeed and fail. When we do the same with Jesus we will still succeed and fail. The difference is that with Jesus we will be able to experience peace and rest in the midst of our failures as much as during our success. Without Jesus we can only rely on our personal strength and support network which will at some point fail us, abandon us, and betray us. Jesus on the other hand never abandons, fails, nor betrays us. Jesus supplies us with a perseverance that cannot be imagined which results in peace and rest.
Can I prove this too you with empirical evidence? Can I give you proof? Can I …
Every one of us can come up with questions and challenges that prolong our disbelief in the simplicity of this post. I would like to offer that you try it first before going to the questions and challenges. Try Jesus.
What could it hurt? You find the elusive peace and rest? That is what we are all looking for, right?
May God create a way for you to say yes and try Jesus.
Rev. Shawn J. Smith 