Monday, September 28, 2009

Rest for the Soul

"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:29)

Rest. We all need it. We understand that from a physical perspective but what about rest for our souls. The Greek word for soul here is psyche. It literally means the breath which animates the body. The soul is generally considered to be the seat of our mind, will and emotion. Soul and heart were used interchangeably in Hebrew and Greek usage.

The connection between mental stress and our physical health has been heavily correlated. The problem is that we live in a stressed out world. We live in a broken fallen world. We can't insulate ourselves from that. We have to have a way of dealing with the troubles in our lives.

In Jesus we find the answer. He calls us to Him. To cast our burden on him because He cares for us (1st Peter 5:7). We do that through worship, prayer, humility and time in the Word. We can really have a peace that passes all understanding. Peace and rest are good things. Spend some time with Him each day. Give your burdens and worries and struggles to Him. He can handle them a whole lot better than you can.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)


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