Topic: Only God Can De-stress Your Soul [RICK WARREN Devotional 9 March   2023]

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Only God Can De-stress Your Soul

BY RICK WARREN — MARCH 8, 2023
FROM THE LIFE YOU WERE MEANT TO LIVE

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28 (RSV)

When you’re stressed out, how do you typically unwind? When you’re exhausted and overloaded, how do you de-stress? Maybe you watch a movie. Perhaps you go out to dinner so you don’t have to cook. Or maybe you have a hobby or a sport that helps you unwind.

There’s nothing wrong with any of those things, but none of them will provide the relief you really need. You can take all the naps in the world, and they will rest your body—but they won’t rest your spirit.

There’s only one thing that can rest your soul: God. Only he can give you that inner peace that truly de-stresses you.

Jesus promises, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 RSV).

He doesn’t say, “Come to church.” He doesn’t tell you to go to Bible study or small group. When you are overloaded, there’s only one person who understands soul rest. At times like that, what you really need more than anything else is more time alone with God.

So if God is who you really need, why don’t you turn to him more often? If you’re like most people, you think you can handle it on our own—or maybe you just don’t realize that God is waiting for you to call on him. Over and over in the Bible, God says things like, “Cry out to me. Call out to me. Talk to me. Cast your burdens on me.”

If it’s been a while since you’ve spent time alone with God, you may not know where to start. Here’s what Jesus told his followers about prayer: “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace” (Matthew 6:6 The Message).

Maybe you’ve never spent time like this alone with God, or maybe you have, but it’s been weeks or months. That’s why you’re overloaded. You need to spend time alone with God in silence. As you sit with him, spend time praying and reading the Bible.

Are you running on empty today? The first thing you need to do is call out to God for help. Come to Christ, and he will give you rest.

Talk It Over

• What difference do you notice throughout your day when you have a morning quiet time with God?
• Why is it important to shift your focus to God when you are stressed?
• Why do you think God waits for you to call on him before you experience his peace?

The first step toward peace begins with Jesus.

God proved his goodness through his Son, Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 CSB).

Are you ready to trust God to fulfill his promise of eternal life? If so, pray this simple prayer: “Dear God, I believe Jesus Christ is your Son. I confess I have sinned, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died to take away my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

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