Pastor Elie Hamuli
Among all the blessings we receive as believers, Jesus Christ highly values giving us His rest. He wants us to dwell in His rest as we stay connected with Him. This rest is precious and worth pursuing, but entering it might require a conscious effort.
Jesus, in John 14:27, urges believers not to be troubled or afraid, promising a gift of peace that surpasses worldly peace. This leads us to the idea of “letting go and letting God”; to fully embrace this gift of peace, we must first let go.
Letting go involves releasing our need for control and shedding our worries and anxieties. To embrace a lifestyle of rest, we must let the peace of God guide and empower us (Isaiah 55:12a). Learning from how Jesus demonstrated a life of rest, we find wisdom in meditating on Scripture, allowing us to be more like Him and sustaining us in His peace even amid difficulties.
The Hebrew term “Shalom” encompasses calmness, gladness, and peace. To attain Shalom, believers are called not to allow their hearts to be troubled (John 14:27), emphasising personal responsibility. We have the noble duty to guard our hearts, as it determines the course of our lives (Proverbs 4:23).
By casting all our cares on God, we shift our focus away from earthly concerns, safeguarding the treasure of our hearts in heaven (Matthew 6:21). Guarding our hearts involves moving from a “demand-minded” to a supply-minded spirit, avoiding the flesh’s desire for control. As spirit-led beings, we live mindful of God’s readily available supply, resting in what He has already done for us by Grace through faith.
The concept of letting go and letting God is well summarized in 1 Peter 5:5-8. Verse 7 encourages giving all worries and cares to God, displaying humility (verse 6) that brings Grace (verse 5). Psalms 55:22 supports this, affirming that Grace comes when we leave our worries with God.
Contrary to humility, desiring control reflects pride, and God opposes the proud (verse 5). Matthew 6:27 emphasises the futility of worrying, echoing the Scriptural encouragement to entrust our cares to God. Lastly, verse 8 in 1 Peter reveals that laying our cares on God positions us to resist the enemy’s schemes. Mark 4:18–19 warns that life pursuits can choke God’s Word, the enemy’s aim. With Christ’s guidance, let’s prioritize setting our hearts on things above, seeking God’s kingdom first, giving Him control, and trusting Him to take care of everything (Matthew 6:33).
