Resting In Christ

“Resting in Christ” does not mean a blissful state to which one can arrive, where all is good and easy, and not a single anxious nerve ending bothers. It’s a confidence that there is nothing you have to earn from God because His gift of righteousness and salvation has provided the eternal security of grace. You’ve been given everything for free.

Ask the apostle Paul if “resting in Christ” meant that he had not one fear as his ride to Rome sank (boat #3 goin’ down!); ask him if he had the cherubic look of a well-fed and burped baby when he was being stoned and left for dead; ask him if those prison chains always felt like gorgeous and glorious style points on the fashion runway of resting in Christ; ask him if his attitude was a happy-faced “It’s alllll good!” when yet another guy with a whip laid into his back, and I think he would laugh out loud.

“Are you kidding me?! I want nothing more than to get outta this torture chamber existence and to be with Jesus in heaven! But I doubt that today is the day that I have entrusted to Him, so I’m going to work—probably long hours in difficult, dangerous and unrewarding circumstances. That’s how it is until the One who secured me brings me home where I belong. He and I are good—He has seen to it! There’s nothing I have to do to be better off with Him. I’m at rest concerning all that, but my remaining days of trying to get others to believe in Christ’s offer of rest for themselves are going to hurt. My own people often refuse to stop trying to earn blessings and righteousness from God, rejecting His gift and the rest that comes from Him. But what can I do? I am charged with the gospel of Jesus, which is the power of God, so I will keep offering it, though turmoil and the pain of rejection await me. I am at rest in Christ, but my days will be difficult.”

“My advice to you? Remember to rest as you press on.”