Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
This week’s lesson from “The Adult Sabbath School Guide” is titled “Come to Me…”. “How can we experience the rest that Jesus is talking about?” (Quarterly for Sabbath, July 24). And so we will look at this “rest” we are promised in Matthew 11:28.
For so long, we likely thought that the “rest” God can give us means a life free from trials, adversity, pain and sorrow. This has led a whole passel of sincere Christians to embrace the “health and wealth” gospel. And yet, each of us over our lifetime have witnessed true “saints” suffer and endure trials and adversity. And the Bible is full of “saints” who suffer. So how does this “rest” that God has for us differ from the conventional understanding of “rest” as being free from trials, adversity, pain and sorrow? The answer? God’s true “rest” is not found in elimination of it all, but “rest” despite it all… in the midst of it all.
Our death-dealing culture has set the sinful terms of success, of what makes life meaningful and of what constitutes “rest”. For our culture, “rest” comes from having plenty of everything and having an absence of stress. And so we all, having been raised in this culture, define “rest” and even success in these terms. And then we extrapolate this understanding to God and our relationship with Him. It is the problem with the “health and wealth” gospel. It appeals to sinful man’s perspective and reinforces sinful man’s proclivities.
Yet God’s “rest” is not of this order. In fact trials, adversity, pain and sorrow are guaranteed most assuredly for those who are in a right relationship with our God.
“Afflictions, crosses, temptations, adversity, and our varied trials are God's workmen to refine us, sanctify us, and fit us for the heavenly garner” (3 Testimonies pg. 115).
“Through conflict the spiritual life is strengthened. Trials well borne will develop steadfastness of character and precious spiritual graces. The perfect fruit of faith, meekness, and love often matures best amid storm clouds and darkness” (Christ’s Object Lessons pg. 61).
“The trials of life are God's workmen, to remove the impurities and roughness from our character. Their hewing, squaring, and chiseling, their burnishing and polishing, is a painful process; it is hard to be pressed down to the grinding wheel. But the stone is brought forth prepared to fill its place in the heavenly temple. Upon no useless material does the Master bestow such careful, thorough work. Only His precious stones are polished after the similitude of a palace” (Mount of Blessing pg. 10.3).
Trials patiently borne, blessings gratefully received, temptations manfully resisted, meekness, kindness, mercy, and love habitually revealed, are the lights that shine forth in the character in contrast with the darkness of the selfish heart, into which the light of life has never shone” (Mount of Blessing pg. 44).
“God permits trials to assail His people, that by their constancy and obedience they themselves may be spiritually enriched, and that their example may be a source of strength to others” (Patriarchs and Prophets pg. 130).
God’s rest is found in seeing God in all our interactions, all our events, all our decisions, all that happens to us, all that we do or is done to us… seeing God in all that He initiates or all that He allows. So that even in the midst of trials, adversity, pain, suffering, betrayal… and even a long lingering death, we can be at total rest. A rest-of-mind that is confident that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28). Not an absence of exterior trials and suffering, but a presence of internal and confiding peace despite the external trials. This is the true rest of heart, mind and soul. The greatest blessing of our lives.
“God in His great love is seeking to develop in us the precious graces of His Spirit. He permits us to encounter obstacles, persecution, and hardships, not as a curse, but as the greatest blessing of our lives. Every temptation resisted, every trial bravely borne, gives us a new experience and advances us in the work of character building. The soul that through divine power resists temptation reveals to the world and to the heavenly universe the efficiency of the grace of Christ” (Mount of Blessing pg. 117).
With brotherly love,
Jim