When your heart is troubled, it can sometimes feel like you are on an emotional roller coaster. The ups and downs can continue with no rest in sight. It’s utterly exhausting.
One moment you feel completely, overwhelmingly struck in this place—and the next moment, like you can get through it.
The lows seem to outweigh the highs, though. It’s a ride you just want to get off of… but you can’t. You want to find relief and experience freedom in this area, but it feels impossible.
Despite your attempts to remain calm within the turmoil, you seem to embrace the negative thoughts over the positive ones. I know I do.
It’s not easy knowing how to find rest for your soul in these times, but I want to reassure you it’s possible with Jesus.
He is the great rock we can find rest in.
In times of wanting growth or change to happen, you can rest in the fact that Jesus has got it in his hands.
As sisters in Christ, we can learn to embrace rest in Jesus by accepting truth—then surrendering to him everything that keeps us from that rest.
The Truth to Rest
In Colossians 2:10 (NIV), we read “and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”
Despite your troubled heart, you can learn that—through the partnership that you have with Christ—you are complete.
His sacrifice on the cross allows you to be full, whole—needing and lacking nothing. Therefore, in times of wanting growth or change to happen, you can rest in the fact that Jesus has got it in his hands.
He is always working on your behalf when you trust in him.
When you soak in this truth, the turmoil is silenced; no matter what happens, nothing can change the fact that you are whole in him. This completeness brings peace; therefore, your longing can end.
No number of negative thoughts, fears, worries, or doubts can change this truth about who you are when you accept him.
It’s a completeness that, when known, satisfies all desires. You will be brought into freedom in that area and in the journey to that place you can feel safe and secure within his arms.
His power and love for us has given us all authority and the opportunity to choose him in the midst of our troubled hearts on this healing journey of life.
You can choose to rest in him and acknowledge that you need nothing and that he is working… or you can let the troubled thoughts continue.
You have the power and authority to choose him and to stop it by resting in the truth that you are complete.
The Act of Surrender
When you accept the truth that you are complete, then you can surrender when your heart feels troubled on your healing journey to freedom.
What does surrender look like? It can be a simple prayer: Jesus I surrender this feeling of needing comfort to you or these fears and worries to you.
You can surrender all day, at any moment, when the unwanted thoughts and feelings come.
It can be a posture of getting down on your hands and knees. Jesus knows your heart. It’s his delight and wish to carry these needs and feelings for you, and take them from you to experience the rest he desires you to have.
He wants you to live in complete freedom. His love for you is why he chooses to bear and carry it all for you.
Let him show you his love in this way and embrace the rest he wants to give you on your journey to freedom by accepting the truth that you are complete and by surrendering.
Questions to Ask Yourself with Jesus:
- What are you currently struggling with, and needing deliverance from?
- Why are you struggling to find freedom?
- What thoughts/hindrances are holding you back from the rest Jesus provides?
A Prayer of Surrender:
Dear Heavenly Father, I desire to know—and walk in—the completeness that I have in you.
You love me so much, and died for me to walk in complete freedom; in wholeness.
Right now, I choose to walk in it by surrendering any hindrances in my heart that are keeping me from embracing that freedom.
I surrender my wants and needs to you. I surrender my fears and worries to you. My life is yours. I surrender my anxiety to you. My abilities, my thoughts. [Include whatever else you need.]
I hand it all over to you, and walk in the fullness I have in you. Holy Spirit, help me to completely surrender and trust in you, in this moment, for the rest I have received through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen
8 Responses
Absolutely beautiful Nikki. You’ve blessed me with these words today. Thank you for always pointing to Jesus.
love,
Marta
Thank you, Marta! I am so glad that you were blessed!
Why is surrender and yielding to the Spirit so hard for us, I have really studied and written about rest and His peace.
Yes, I agree Rebecca. It can be so hard. Thank you for sharing.
Jesus is our true rest – oh if we can only surrender to Him!!
Yes, I agree Andrea he is our true rest and yes surrender to him is so essential. Thank you for sharing.
Wow! This really spoke to me. My word of focus for the month of June is Surrender. It is not easy to learn to turn everything over to God and then actually allow Him to carry it. However, I am a work in progress. Thank you so much for your words.
Leigha, I am so glad that the post spoke to you. Yes I agree it is not easy at all and I am a work in progress too. Thankful to Jesus who is always working within us. Thank you for sharing.