“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

When you and I are going through difficult times, we want to do something. We don’t want to feel helpless and overwhelmed. We want to find ways to control outcomes. We don’t want to be passive. Or maybe that isn’t you. Maybe you give up in despair and hopelessly ride the waves without acting at all.

Neither of those approaches are going to bring us peace in the middle of the storm. Either we exhaust ourselves fighting against the waves of turmoil, or we succumb to the torrent and are overwhelmed by the tumult. But how do we find peace in the middle of the storm? What actions can we take?

Come to Jesus. This is active. It’s a choice we can make. We may not know exactly what that looks like, but we can choose it. To come to Jesus is to bring whatever you are thinking or feeling to Him. It doesn’t have to be pretty, poetic, perfect, or even prayerful. It’s a relationship, right? He loves you without any polish. Just come.

Receive what He gives. What does He give? Understanding, Wisdom. His presence right there with you in the middle of the mess. He wants to teach you and me how to be in the storm. What we can do to navigate the challenges. How to proceed when the way is unclear. He wants to give you strength to persevere when you can’t see the end. But in order to receive, we must have our hearts open and be ready to recognize His gifts when they come.

Find rest in Him. As we receive what He gives, we find the rest. To take His yoke upon you is to actively partner with Him. When you do that, He is carrying the burden with you.

To learn from Him is to let Him guide you through it all. It’s a choice, too. To come, to receive, to learn, are all choices. Rest is the natural outcome as we continually choose to come and receive.

If we are only looking for rest, we probably won’t find it. If we are looking for Jesus and receive what He gives, He will lead us to a place of rest. He said that His yoke is easy and His burden light. When we begin to experience that, even in the smallest measure, we can know that the actions we’ve taken, the choices we’ve made are producing the desired result

Because the Lord is your shepherd, you have everything you need, dear friend. Rest is in His presence. The circumstances may never change. Or He may calm the storm around you. Either way, as you come to Him, and receive what He wants to give you will find the rest your soul longs for.

Key Question: How can I find peace when my life is in chaos?

A Scripture to Consider: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

A YES Challenge: Consider your current challenge. What would it look like to come to Jesus right now with everything you think and feel? Consider writing Jesus a letter that tells Him everything. Don’t leave anything out.

Prayer: Lord, You see my storm. You hear the wind. You see the waves. You feel the pounding surf and stinging rain. You are in this storm with me. Help me remember that, even when I can’t feel You. Lord, I want to experience Your peace and Your presence in the middle of this storm. But if I can’t, please give me to strength to stay connected to You and persevere. Help me receive all that You want to give me. I need You. I can’t get through this without You. Amen.

My book The YES Adventure: Transform Your Life with One Word is now a year old! Check it out or encouragement, inspiration, and more about God-centered goal-setting. Please leave a review on Amazon! That will help other people find the book and receive guidance and encouragement in their God-centered goal-setting.

If you are stuck and would like a partner to help you process your next step, I’d love to help. Schedule a 30-minute complimentary coaching.