But You Weren’t Looking

“Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29

Find – There are three nuances to the word heurisko.  Context determines the correct understanding.  However, when the word is translated into English, we often lose the flavor.  We end up with plain vanilla when the word was really French Vanilla Cream.  Plain vanilla gives us “find” and we think, “Oh, yes.  To find something is to come to the end of a search.  To discover through effort and application.”  We go merrily on our way imagining that Jesus gives us a religious methodology that means, “putting yourself in active submission will lead you to find rest”.  After all, we get the English word “heuristic” from this Greek root and it certainly means discovering by trial and error.  Is that what Jesus had in mind?  A trial and error method for experiencing peace and tranquility?

Not a chance!  It’s not plain vanilla.  It’s French Vanilla Cream.  The nuance that is missing in the plain translation “find” is this:  heurisko generally means “to find without seeking, to come upon as though by accident, to meet with”.  Rest serendipitously comes upon me.  I wasn’t looking for it but it happened.  All I was doing was letting Jesus carry the load.  All I was doing was changing my behavior because I spent time with Him.  And suddenly I realized that I was at peace.  Rest surprised me.  It slipped in while I wasn’t looking.

How did it get there?  The answer is this:  Jesus is the active agent of rest, not me.  This is one of those paradoxes of life.  When I deliberately seek rest, I cannot find it.  I exhaust myself in the search.  But as soon as I put my energy and effort into confident submission to the will of the Father, rest arrives unbidden.  It is a gift, not a reward.

There are many days when I long for rest.  I feel worn down, vulnerable and drained.  I carry burdens too heavy for me.  I struggle to spend time with Jesus because I feel the obligation of religion.  It’s all just too much.

Jesus speaks softly to my soul.  “Cast your cares on me.  We’re a team.  Listen to my words of encouragement and comfort.  Look at the way that I trust the Father.”  I let go.  And rest comes to town.