Topic: How to Find Rest at Christmas [RICK WARREN Devotional 16 December   2022]

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How to Find Rest at Christmas

“May God, the source of hope, fill you with joy and peace through your faith in him.”

Romans 15:13 (GW)

It’s called the most wonderful time of the year. But for many people, it doesn’t feel that way. Maybe instead of wonder, you’ve found worry this Christmas season. Instead of experiencing peace on Earth, you’re overwhelmed by stress.

Wherever you find yourself this Christmas, Jesus Christ has an incredible offer for you. He says, “If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 CEV).

I like that verse because it says the exact opposite of what most people think God will say to them. They think that if God wants them to come home to him this Christmas, he’s going to make some demands along with that.

They think he’ll say something like, “Come home to me and I will give you rules. Come home to me and I will give you regulations. Come home to me and I will give you restrictions. Come home to me and I will give you religion. Come home to me and I will give you rituals.” 

But God doesn’t say any of those things. He says, “Come to me and I will give you rest.”

Read that again. God is offering you true rest from your heavy burdens.

Do you find yourself living in a constant state of fatigue and stress? That’s because you’re trying to live your life on your own power. And God never meant for you to do that. Instead, God wants you to rely on and rest in his power.

The Old Testament says, “He gives power to the tired and worn out, and strength to the weak” (Isaiah 40:29 TLB).  

And the New Testament promises: “God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come” (Colossians 1:11 NCV).

If you’ve been feeling down, anxious, fatigued, or worried this Christmas season, come home to God. He’s the one who created you. He’s watched every moment of your life and knows everything about you—and he still loves you. He forgives you and invites you to come home to his peace and strength.

Won’t you come home to him today? When you do that, you’ll find real rest this Christmas.

Talk It Over

• In what ways have you tried and failed to find rest when you’ve looked for it outside of Christ?
• When have you experienced true rest through Christ? What did that feel like?
• How has God strengthened you with his own power and helped you not to give up?

Are you ready to find true rest in Christ this Christmas? Then pray this prayer:

“Dear Jesus, I don’t want my sin to separate me from you any longer. You have promised that if I believe in you, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.

“I confess my sin, and I believe you are my Savior. I trust you when you say salvation comes by grace, through faith, and not by anything I do. I receive you into my life as my Lord. Today, I’m turning over every part of my life to your management. I give you my heavy burdens and accept your rest and strength.

“I want to live the way you created me to live and use the rest of my life to serve you instead of serving myself. I commit my life to you and ask you to save me and accept me into your family. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

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