Have you ever seen someone who just can’t seem to find rest? They always appear worried or spent. They seek rest and peace, yet it never seems to happen. Oddly enough, God’s Word has much to say about entering His rest. This rest is not just taking a nap or lying in a hammock; it comes from only one source. True rest only comes to those who seek HIM!
First, we must understand that God desires for His children to find rest—rest from work, rest from worry, rest in our finances, and rest in knowing that He will always provide. Yet, the truth of rest comes from His Word and abiding in Him. Finding rest is not a secret.
So, as the Holy Spirit says: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’( Hebrews 3:7-11 )
No one wants to hear those words. “NEVER” is permanent!” In Hebrews 3:7-11, God says, “THEY SHALL NEVER ENTER MY REST.
So, what did the Israelites do to deserve such a penalty? The reason they were not allowed to enter God’s rest in the promised land, and why they died in the wilderness, can be traced back to a single critical factor: unbelief. If you don’t want those words spoken over you, how do you avoid it?
God doesn’t hold secrets and then penalize us. Instead, He reveals His Word so we can avoid judgment. In Hebrews 3:15, He says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” In other words, when we hear God’s Word, we should listen and heed His advice. Remember, He created us and desires for us to enter His rest. But no rest awaits those who reject Him!
So, the first step is to hear His voice and not harden our hearts.
Second, there is more. Hebrews 4:1-3 reminds us that the promise of rest still stands even today. However, we must be careful not to fall away. The passage explains that the message was of no value to some because they did not share it. They heard the good news, but it fell to the ground—they didn’t pass it along!
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said, “So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. (Hebrews 4:1-3)
When we hear and read God’s truth, we are to pass it down to the next generation. God chose 12 men, taught them the Word, and then commanded them to tell others. If I want to enter this rest, I must hear His voice, not harden my heart, and share His truth. This starts with our families and friends.
If you haven’t done well in seeking God, you can still tell others about the men and women of faith who honored Him and received His rewards. God didn’t use perfect people to pass down His Word—He used sinners saved by grace.
Consider this: God created us with two eyes, two ears, but only one mouth. Why? So we would hear His Word twice as much, read His Word twice as much, and speak half as much. His Word should be our dwelling place, and our words should be about Him.
When we have something of value, others need to know about it. The Israelites forgot the value of what they were given. They lost their first love. The outcome of seeking the Lord is rest—not the other way around! You don’t seek rest to find God; you seek God to find rest. Real rest only comes from one source.
Finding His rest starts with listening. Be careful not to be found among those who fell away. In other words, once we find Him and His truth, we must never leave it. And once we have found Him, we must tell others. No matter who you are, we all seek the same thing: to find rest. Once you do, never leave that place.
It all starts with His Word. When we open His Word, we embark on a journey filled with rest.
Stephen L. Thomas
Founder, RTM
