Sometimes I find myself in a state of unwelcome rest. Injury, illness and simple boredom can leave me in a state of rest longer than I typically like to be. This type of rest often forces introspection in areas of my life that I would prefer not to revisit.

I start to focus on past failures, current struggles, and areas of my life that I have used busyness to avoid reflecting on. All of the unwelcome rest and reflection brings anger, remorse, and sadness; places I don’t want to visit. I pick one area of pain and go over it for hours on end. It leads nowhere.

This is very different than the type of rest offered through Christ. Christ takes the anger, remorse and sadness and shows us a new way. He shows us how to release the pain, learn the lesson and move forward with new perspective on the situation that burdens us.

^28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG).

This scriptures tells us that walking with Jesus and working with Jesus brings rest. Working through unwelcome rest, unwelcome reflection shows us the way to the unforced rhythms of grace. It can take work. It can take working with a professional. It may require vulnerability to get to real rest.

I remind myself that it is worth the work. The promised result is true. Life feels freer and lighter. Are you willing to become vulnerable? Are you willing to do the work for real rest? Share your story here and breathe life and bring hope to others.