What do we do when we’re sick and tired of being “sick and tired?”
Aug 10, 2010
The Base for Grace - part nine in a study of the book of Hebrews
Mike Gaudet
Wouldn’t it be nice if God always made our lives easier?
What do we do when we’re sick and tired of being “sick and tired?”
“Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:11-13
The command to “make every effort to enter that rest” literally means to “speed into God’s rest.” As strange as it might seem, we are told to “rest . . . and be quick about it!”
We understand the importance of rest in the physical realm. We know that we don’t feel well or function well when we are operating on too little sleep.
Rest is equally important in the spiritual realm. From God’s perspective, the chronic disobedience that marked the Israelites’ 40-year journey to the Promised Land was the result of being “rest-deprived.” We are encouraged to enter God’s rest so that we might not “fall by following their example of disobedience.”
How do we rest spiritually?
By believing. “Now we who have believed enter that rest” Hebrews 4:3 In order to enter into God’s rest we must trust God to keep His commitments to us.
Believing in God’s promises in the midst of difficulties is the key to experiencing God’s rest.
“Disobedience” is a lack of behaving that rises from a lack of believing. Our belief in God’s goodness is challenged when we struggle with problems in our lives. Chronic difficulty tends to erode our belief in God’s trustworthiness. When this disbelief takes root, disobedient actions follow close behind.
Why do we steal? Why do we lie? We believe that we must take measures to protect ourselves. We do not believe that God will take measures to protect us.
God judges our disbelief before it erupts into disobedience. Everything is “uncovered and laid bare” before His eyes. He judges the “thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” “Thoughts” refer to thoughts about God. “Attitudes” are responses to God’s will based on our thoughts about Him. God judges disbelieving thoughts and attitudes before they become disobedient actions.
We all experience difficulties. And while difficulty is inevitable, rest is optional. The one who experiences difficulty and yet trusts God to keep His commitments enters rest. The one who experiences difficulty and does not trust God to keep His commitments fails to enter rest and falls into the same example of disobedience that the Israelites experienced in the wilderness.
Thoreau penned these words, “For every thousand people whacking away at the leaves of evil, there is one person striking at the root.”
In order to deal effectively with disobedience we must deal with the disbelief that is at the root of the disobedience. This is what God encourages us to do.
God makes commitments to protect you and to provide for you. Focus on His commitments.
When we trust Him to follow through on these commitments . . .
. . . we develop a capacity to obey Him.
. . . we enter His rest.