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Answer
Rest in the Lord is a commonly used phrase in the Bible. When the psalmist says, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him” «Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. », (Psalm 37:7, NKJV), he is not referring to physical rest involving taking a break from activity, relaxing, napping, or stopping to gather strength to continue or complete some physical task. Rest in the Lord denotes a spiritual reprieve from confusion, worry, stress, futile human effort, and a respite from all internal, external, mortal, and spiritual adversaries.
The Hebrew term translated as “rest” means “to be at peace,” “to be still,” “to be quiet or calm.” Instead of “rest in the Lord,” some Bible versions state, “Be still before the Lord” (ESV and NIV), “Be silent before the Lord” (CSB), “Surrender yourself to the Lord” (GW), and “Be still in the presence of the Lord” (NLT). These translations convey the fundamental concept that to find rest and peace, one must abide in the presence of the Lord, submitted to His authority.
In the Old Testament, God pledged the people of Israel a life of peace in the Promised Land and repose in His presence (Exodus 33:14;Joshua 1:13-15). However, this tranquil, peaceful existence relied on the Israelites remaining loyal and obedient solely to God by upholding their covenant with Him. To those who strayed from Him in their hearts, God declared they would never experience His rest (Psalm 95:7-11).
Ultimately, due to widespread disobedience and faithlessness, the nation of Israel was led into captivity in Babylon. After rReturning from exile once again, the assurance of finding rest in the Lord’s presence was given: “So do not be afraid, Jacob, my servant; do not be dismayed, Israel… For I will bring you home again from distant lands, and your children will return from their exile. Israel will return to a life of peace and quiet, and no one will terrorize them” «Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid. », (Jeremiah 30:10, NLT). However, once again, the people failed to understand that resting in the Lord meant fully surrendering to the Lord in righteous living: “The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever” «And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. », (Isaiah 32:17).
In the New Testament, the book of Hebrews proclaims the good news that those who believe in Jesus Christ can enter His rest: “God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. For this good news—that God has prepared this rest—has been announced to us just as it was to them. But it did them no good because they didn’t share the faith of those who listened to God. For only we who believe can enter his rest” (Hebrews 4:1-3;NLT).
As believers, we are not granted immunity from life’s storms, but we have a choice about how we react to those storms. Our natural tendency might be to run around frantically looking for help, trying to save ourselves from trouble. We can either respRest frenetically or find peace in the Lord’s presence. We can either squander our time worrying or rely on the Lord to care for us. Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30;NLT).
The author of Hebrews also informs us that there is a future, ultimate rest for believers in heaven (Hebrews 4:9-11). Meanwhile, we can rest in the Lord by entrusting everything—all our burdens, problems, and anxieties—to Him in prayer. We can communicate our needs to God while recalling and appreciating all that He has already done for us. As we do this—as we abide in Jesus Christ and God’s presence—He promises to pour into us a supernatural, incomprehensible peace to safeguard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7).
At this moment, we can calm ourselves, be still, and submit ourselves to the Lord. We can envision Him as Isaiah did, lofty and exalted «In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. », (Isaiah 6:1). He reigns over the entire earth, our lives, and every foe, whether internal or external, human or spiritual (Isaiah 46:9-11). We can patiently wait for Him. We can be unwavering, desiring, and always seeking His assistance. This is how we rest in the Lord.
