Matthew 11:28 (NIV) Come to me, all you who 
are weary and burdened, and I will give you 
rest.  

COMMENTARY PEARL

Only God Can De-stress Your Soul
   When youre stressed out, how do you 
typically unwind? When youre exhausted and 
overloaded, how do you de-stress? Maybe you watch a 
movie. Perhaps you go out to dinner so you dont 
have to cook. Or maybe you have a hobby or a 
sport that helps you unwind. 
   Theres nothing wrong with any of those 
things, but none of them will provide the relief you 
really need. You can take all the naps in the 
world, and they will rest your body - but they 
wont rest your spirit. 
   Theres only one thing that can rest 
your soul: God. Only he can give you that inner 
peace that truly de-stresses you. 
   Jesus promises, Come to me, all who 
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you 
rest (Matthew 11:28 RSV). 
   He doesnt say, Come to church. 
He doesnt tell you to go to Bible study or 
small group. When you are overloaded, theres 
only one person who understands soul rest. At 
times like that, what you really need more than 
anything else is more time alone with God. 
   So if God is who you really need, why 
dont you turn to him more often? If youre like 
most people, you think you can handle it on our 
own - or maybe you just dont realize that God 
is waiting for you to call on him. Over and 
over in the Bible, God says things like, Cry 
out to me. Call out to me. Talk to me. Cast your 
burdens on me. 
   If its been a while since youve 
spent time alone with God, you may not know where 
to start. Heres what Jesus told his 
followers about prayer: Find a quiet, secluded 
place so you wont be tempted to role-play 
before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as 
you can manage. The focus will shift from you to 
God, and you will begin to sense his grace 
(Matthew 6:6 The Message). 
   Maybe youve never spent time like this 
alone with God, or maybe you have, but its been 
weeks or months. Thats why youre overloaded. 
You need to spend time alone with God in 
silence. As you sit with him, spend time praying and 
reading the Bible. 
   Are you running on empty today? The first 
thing you need to do is call out to God for help. 
Come to Christ, and he will give you rest. [Daily 
Devotional by Rick Warren: 
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/] 

Refreshment for Our Souls
   I love the word refresh Its such 
a perfect word to speak of starting again or 
returning to something. In fact, we even use this word 
when it comes to our computers; if things freeze 
up, we need to refresh our computer screens. And 
sometimes it means that we need to completely reboot. 
   In the Christian life, sometimes we need 
a reboot. Sometimes we need a refresher since 
we find ourselves tired and exhausted. But 
heres what Jesus said: Come to me, all of you 
who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I 
will give you rest (Matthew 11:28 NLT). 
   On the day of Pentecost, Peter said to 
the people gathered in Jerusalem, Now 
repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your 
sins may be wiped away (Acts 3:19 NLT). 
   The Bible is very specific about how we 
can find spiritual refreshment for our souls - 
you will find it when you read and study the 
Bible. Psalm 19:7 says, The instructions of the 
Lord are perfect, reviving the soul (NLT). 
   I know its not always an emotional 
experience when we open up the Bible and read it. But 
this isnt about emotions; its about 
replenishment, restoration, and getting perspective on 
life, as well as direction from the Lord. 
   So, expect your soul to be refreshed as 
you open the Word of God. Have you ever had a 
verse that seemed to jump off the page? Maybe it 
was a verse you had read before, but suddenly it 
had new meaning and applied to your particular 
situation. That is what it means to find refreshment 
from the Word of God. 
   Could you use some spiritual refreshment 
right now? The place to find it is from God 
Himself. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries; 
https://www.harvestdaily.com] 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Human nature is ever struggling for 
expression, ready for contest; but he who learns of 
Christ is emptied of self, of pride, of love of 
supremacy, and there is silence in the soul. Self is 
yielded to the disposal of the Holy Spirit. Then we 
are not anxious to have the highest place. We 
have no ambition to crowd and elbow ourselves 
into notice; but we feel that our highest place 
is at the feet of our Saviour. We look to 
Jesus, waiting for His hand to lead, listening for 
His voice to guide.... MB14-16 

There are many whose hearts are aching under 
a load of care because they seek to reach the 
world's standard. They have chosen its service, 
accepted its perplexities, adopted its customs. Thus 
their character is marred, and their life made a 
weariness.... He bids them seek first the kingdom of God 
and His righteousness, and His promise is that 
all things needful to them for this life shall 
be added.... Our heavenly Father has a thousand 
ways to provide for us, of which we know nothing. 
Those who accept the one principle of making the 
service and honor of God supreme will find 
perplexities vanish, and a plain path before their 
feet.... DA328-332 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY

Matthew 11:28, 29 - The Invitation Of All 
Invitations. 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220314-0905.html 

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/