"God wants His loved ones to get their proper rest." (Psalm 127:2 TLB)
I've always been fascinated with the sudden change in the disciples before and after the Resurrection. One minute they're defeated, and the next minute they're dynamic. One minute they're crushed, and the next minute they're confident. One minute they're having a pity party, and the next minute they're taking on the world.
What made the difference?
When you personally meet a resurrected Jesus Christ, you become a more confident person. You can see this in the disciples in John 20.
John 20:19 says, "That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! 'Peace be with you,' he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!" (NLT)
Over the next few days, we'll look at three things that robbed the first disciples (and that also rob us) of confidence and what the Bible says about how to overcome those obstacles.
First, you can tell the disciples were tired. It was late that Sunday. It had been a rough week. They had Palm Sunday. They had the cleansing of the temple. They had the Lord's Supper. They had Gethsemane. They had the six trials. They had the Crucifixion. They were worn out!
The most common cause of discouragement is physical and emotional exhaustion. Things look worse when you're tired. Vince Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards of all of us."
When you're tired, you lose your confidence. It's that simple. What's the remedy? It doesn't take rocket science to figure this out. The remedy for physical and emotional exhaustion — and the confidence drain it can be — is rest!
Psalm 127:2 says, "God wants His loved ones to get their proper rest" (TLB). Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is go to sleep. It's amazing how much better things look after you've had a good night's sleep.
You'll never be at your best if you're not getting rest.
Talk About It
- What is keeping you from not getting enough rest?
- How might your physical and emotional exhaustion keep you from doing the things God has planned for you?
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., one of America's largest and most influential churches. Rick is author of the New York Times bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life." His book, "The Purpose Driven Church," was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. He is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global Internet community for pastors.
This devotional © 2012 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.