8. The Promise of Rest


Transcript

Jesus: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Narrator: Do you ever feel tired? Not just sleepy-tired, but tired in your heart? Maybe from trying really hard to be good all the time, or feeling bad about mistakes you've made? Jesus makes a wonderful promise that can help. He invites us to come to Him for rest. We find this promise in the Bible, in Matthew 11:28-30.

This promise isn't just about taking a nap. It's about finding peace in our hearts, even when we feel like we're not good enough or when we've done something wrong. Jesus wants to take away the heavy feeling of our mistakes (which the Bible calls 'sin') and the tiredness that comes from always trying to be perfect on our own.

When we accept Jesus' offer of rest, we don't have to carry the weight of our mistakes or the pressure to be perfect all by ourselves. We can give these heavy burdens to Jesus. It's like He's saying, "You don't have to try so hard on your own. I've already done the hard work for you. Just trust in me."

This rest that Jesus gives is like a big sigh of relief. We can stop trying to earn God's love by being perfect, because Jesus already loves us just as we are. And when we make mistakes, we can rest knowing that Jesus forgives us.

Today, if you're feeling tired from trying to be good all the time, or if you feel bad about something you've done, try talking to Jesus about it. Imagine giving Him these heavy feelings and letting Him give you rest instead. How does that make you feel?

May you experience the complete rest Jesus promises - rest from your mistakes, rest from trying to be perfect on your own, and rest for your heart and mind. God bless you.