Find RestNäide

There is no greater rest than the rest of our salvation. We are eternally forgiven: there is nothing in all of creation, neither heaven nor hell, that can separate us from Christ’s love. There is nothing we can do, no sin too great, that he hasn’t already paid the price for. Our salvation is the ultimate good news and in it, the ultimate form of rest. Guilt, shame, worry: it all finds its death on the cross.

My husband is a pastor, and has been dealing with a conflict with some church members for a while. I can get really discouraged about it, and his perspective has been so encouraging to me: it doesn’t matter what happens. Please, don’t misunderstand—it certainly matters, people may get hurt, relationships may get broken, it may all get resolved. But God is in it, and God is with us, so regardless of what transpires, God is still in it, and God is still with us.

Whatever conflict you find yourself in, whatever decision you face, or struggle you are dealing with, it doesn’t matter what happens. Certainly, we want things to go a certain way. We want to make the right decision, we want the outcome to be good, we want the conflict to be avoided. Life and the decisions we make are important and do have outcomes, but we can also rest in God’s promises. God is in it, and God is with you. He has already accomplished the thing that matters most: your eternal salvation; everything else we can trust him with too.

This thought has filled me with so much rest this week. It is like the song by Casting Crowns, “When I’m lost in the mystery, to You my future is a memory, cause You’re already there.” Whatever the outcome of the conflicts I am facing, God already knows how it goes, and he already sees eternity.