Do you ever wake up and say to yourself “I’m tired and don’t feel like participating today?” If so, don’t think you’re alone. Most of us can relate to this thought and often find ourselves exhausted from the comings and goings of everyday life—get up, go to work (whether you work inside or outside of the home), manage schedules, deal with stresses, bills, problems, relationships, and the list goes on. Did you know that in Christ there is a place of complete rest that defies all logic? It’s true. But we don’t get there accidentally.

Scripture tells us in Psalm 91:1 “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” (NLT) I want you to focus on the word live. The shelter of God is not a place we just visit, or have to squeeze in a little more time for in an already jam packed day. When we choose to live in the shelter of the Most High then we can experience life in a state of perpetual rest—the God way. One of Webster’s definitions of live is to have a life rich in experience. I know that walking through the daily routine doesn’t always feel “rich in experience,” but in Christ we can actually have this instead of constant monotony and stress. However, this only happens when we choose to believe what God’s Word says about us and our circumstances instead of what things may look like, how we feel, and even what others may have to say.

Almost eight years ago my family suffered unspeakable tragedy. My husband and our four youngest children were all killed instantly in a car accident. In a moment of time everything went from the regular daily routine to extreme loss, incredible heartbreak and utter devastation. As a family who lived a Christ filled life, we called on the name of Jesus. In the midst of this nightmare, God began to show me through his Word what his plans were for our lives, regardless of how it looked, felt, or the opinion of others. He began by changing my mind. Romans 12:2 says “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (NIV) Our circumstances may not always change or turn out the way we want or expect, but if we will allow the Lord to change our mind and see his perspective, we are able to rise up and overcome the hardships, difficulties and challenges of life. As you can probably imagine, we had many processes to go through to recover from this incredible loss—freedom through God’s truths, healing of our hearts, and ultimately, complete restoration. However, it all started by believing God’s Word and, as a result, living daily in his place of rest.

Another important key to understand about living in God’s rest is that we do not have to work for it. We only need to believe. “For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest …” Hebrews 4:10-11 (NKJ). God wants us to be diligent in believing his Word, which has been freely given to us to receive. It’s like receiving a gift from a friend on your birthday—there is no work involved—just simply the belief that you have been given a gift because you are loved.

I am so grateful for God’s truths and the finished work of the Cross of Jesus Christ that allow us to live the abundant life that has been promised in his Word. From the greatest of life’s challenges to the smallest—and everything in between—we can live in God’s rest. I encourage you today to take one situation at a time and choose to believe what God says about it. When you do, I can say with absolute certainty that you will experience a place of rest that defies natural logic. What is impossible to man is possible with God!