Devotionals for the Heart: How to Find Rest in the Presence of Christ

Find Rest in the Presence of Jesus Christ
A devotional by Sarah Cole

“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”—Luke 10:38-42 (NIV)

Do you ever wake up desperate to step off life's merry-go-round and just be?

I certainly do. I’ve noticed that when I buy the lie that my accomplishments define me, the pressure to “be somebody” keeps me on a constant treadmill, and I lose touch with my God-given identity.

Busyness isn't just a modern epidemic. It dates back to the time when the Bible was originally written. In the Bible verse above, we see a stark contrast between Mary and Martha's approaches to Jesus Christ’s visit to their home. Martha wanted to be the perfect hostess. But her anxious and distracted mind drove her to exhaustion and frustration. Meanwhile, Mary took the time to sit at the feet of Jesus and rest in His presence.

I'll be the first to admit that, like Martha, I've allowed my “to-do list” to be in the driver's seat. If I'm not always accomplishing something, I get restless and bored, like an addict seeking a fix. But when I'm distracted, I miss out on the blessings of an intimate relationship with Jesus.

Does this ring a bell?

The truth is that no amount of success compares to the peace and fulfillment we find in Christ’s presence. The job description He gives us is less about keeping up with life's demands and more about developing a godly character so we change the world around us. And when we realize that Jesus settled our worth at the cross, we can finally stop striving to achieve it. By dying for our sins, Jesus showed us how valuable we are to Him (John 3:16-17).

At the end of our lives, people will remember us not for our resumes but by how we've lived for Christ. Saint Augustine said, "You (God) have made us for yourself, Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You." When we embrace our identity as dearly loved children of God, we can stop trying to prove ourselves because Jesus proved we're enough by saving us. The older I get, the more I want people to remember me as a woman who spent time with Jesus because the more time I spend with Him, the more I develop His compassion for people around me.

Sweet friend, if you yearn to escape the rat race, why not take out your calendar, set up a recurring appointment with Jesus, and then notice what happens to your stress level. You can't avoid life's distractions altogether, but you can keep them from pulling you away from His presence where you'll find true rest.

Let's Pray: Dear Jesus, thank You for loving me for me, not for my accomplishments. Thank You for what You accomplished by dying for my sins. When life's distractions threaten to steal my devotion to You, draw me into Your presence where your love breathes life into my soul. Help me to be still, know that You are God, and find rest in You. In Jesus’s Name I pray. Amen.

Song of Reflection: “Be Still My Soul (In You I Rest)” by Kari Jobe. Listen to it here.

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Author Bio:

Sarah Cole’s interest in writing began in grade school when her poem was published in the local paper. Since then, she has written for her college newspaper and two community newspapers where she wrote restaurant reviews and articles for their ‘best of’ spread.

Her experience as an administrator in the marketing field gave her the opportunity to write ads for a local business journal.

After a 20-year detour and a three-year season of adversity, God reignited her passion to write. Two divine appointments later, the short story she wrote about her father appeared in the St. Paul Almanac, and a short story about her cocker spaniel Gigi was published in Guideposts’ Mysterious Ways. She believes her adversity was worth the lessons God taught her.

Sarah's devotionals have been published in David C. Cook’s The Quiet Hour and Devotions, The Secret Place by Judson Press, and Pray a Word a Day by Guideposts. Her short story will be featured in an upcoming book, Too Amazing For Coincidence, also to be published by Guideposts. To this day, Sarah smiles, pinches herself and gives God all the glory.

When she's not writing, she's enjoying her hobbies that include dog sitting, watching cooking shows and taking day trips.

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Connect with Sarah:
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