Consider this line from Psalm 116:7: “Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you.”

What does it look like when our souls are at rest? Do Christians and non-Christians alike consider followers of Jesus to be people whose souls are at peace, whose mindsets are restful? Do you think of yourself this way? 

Jesus was a restful person and sought to help his followers grow in restfulness. He encouraged them to look to God and avoid worry. He taught them to take their troubles to their heavenly Father. He offered to walk with them and share their burdens. He modeled restfulness by often retreating to quiet places to pray. Before he left this earth, he specifically told his followers, “My peace I give you” (John 14:27).

Jesus was, and is, a green oasis, a spring of water in a dry and thirsty desert. Now it’s our turn to become people of refreshment and rest for the tired, thirsty, irritable world. 

We have been bequeathed this peace that passes understanding. But like any spiritual gift, we can grow and cultivate it so that this peace of Christ blossoms in our own souls and extends its refreshment to the world. It’s worth reading through Scripture with this quest in mind.

What would it look like for Christians to be known as restful, Spirit-led, welcoming people? What burdens could be laid down? How would it change you and me to live with a picture of ourselves as havens of rest?