Finding Your Happy Place - What is it?

Doing life is not meant to be something that wears us out or overwhelms us but how many people feel like that’s exactly what doing life produces? Whether it’s problems in the family, at work or health challenges, the end result is becoming overwhelmed and worn out. Many times, it’s not even major problems that can bring these feelings; the emotional scales can often tip at the smallest of things. The traffic, having to wait in a queue, trying to find parking, the irritating colleague you have to see every day – all of these things are examples of little things that when added to our day become the straw that breaks the camel’s back and so we’ve become overwhelmed or worn out.

In the midst of this, and in stark contrast, stands an amazing invitation made by Jesus: ‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.’ – Matthew 11:28-30
Is it possible to find rest for our souls in the midst of difficult and even overwhelming circumstances? Certainly it is – this is your happy place! But what sort of rest is it? Jesus invites those who labor and are heavy laden to come to Him and He will give them rest. So if we can understand what He means by ‘labor’ and ‘heavy laden’ we will have an idea of what it means to experience rest since Jesus contrasts them.

The word labor means to toil, to become weary through work, worn out. The phrase heavy laden means to carry heavy burdens and loads, being burnt out. So Jesus’ invitation can be read as follows: ‘Come to Me all you who are worn out through working and burnt out by problems and I will give you rest.’ Therefore the rest promised is a freedom from being worn out from overworking and burnt out by problems.

It’s important to recognise that resting in Christ is not absence of work or problems but freedom from work and problems. There’s a big difference. Absence is when these things are no longer in your life. You will never live in a place where you will not need to do any work or ever face any problems. Even Jesus worked and faced problems while on earth so if He did then so will we. Freedom on the other hand, means that you’re no longer chained to work and problems. You will have work to do and you will face problems but they won’t drag you down or overwhelm you when you find the place of rest in Christ.

But resting is more than freedom from being worn out and burnt out. Resting is also the realization that God has already provided everything you will ever need in your life. You’re not waiting for God to give it because He’s already given it. You don’t have to beg God to heal you or plead with Him to provide for you or hope that He will protect you. All of these things have been gained for us through Christ and that’s why we can rest.

The bible says ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.’ – Ephesians 2:8-9 The word saved literally means healed, delivered, protected, provided for, prospered. In other words, by grace you’ve been healed, delivered, protected, provided for, prospered – through faith. Notice also in this scripture that you have been saved. That’s past tense which means we’re not waiting for God to protect us or provide for us or heal us or deliver us; He’s already done it. By grace you have been saved. Resting is therefore the realization that everything we will ever need in this life and beyond has been secured by Christ and place in us and all we need to do is use our faith to manifest what God has already given us.

Finally, resting in Chirst is ceasing from self-effort. This is an important point. If God has already provided everything we will ever need then why are we trying get God to give it to us? Why would you try to get something you’ve already got? It makes no sense. And yet there are millions of believers all around the world trying to get God to give them things He’s already given. People mistakenly think that if they pray more or read their bible more or attend church more faithfully or do good things to others then God will give them what they want. This is wrong and will only lead to heartache and failure. The scripture we just read from Ephesians 2:8-9 says God’s provision does not come because of our works lest anyone should boast. Resting is ceasing from self-effort.

Now this doesn’t mean that when we’re resting we are inactive. No, there is a work that God calls us to carry out but it’s not to get things from Him. It takes work to love the unlovely, to forgive those who have let us down, to minister grace to a broken and dying world. It takes work to believe the promises of God. There is so much more to this topic. If you’d like to know more, feel free to download the message below.

Part 1: Resting In Christ (Your Happy Place)

Part 2: How to Find Your Happy Place

Part 3: Barriers to Finding Your Happy Place

 Recorded at Transformers Christian Church