Self-effort vs. God’s ‘rest’

Numbers 6; Psalms 40–41; Song of Songs 4; Hebrews 4

God instructs me in dreams. Not verses and chapters, but usually to show me the issues in my life with greater clarity. I’ve been trying to purge the not-used, not-needed stuff out of my home, yet most of it seems like hangers in an empty closet — it multiplies in the dark — like rabbits and ants!

Last night the dream was two rooms, one with a bed and the other with stacks of furniture. I was trying to make room for all the furniture but the bed was in the middle and that room already had tables and desks around the perimeter. I woke up and my mind could not stop trying to sort it out. By the time I was fully awake, this dream had overwhelmed me.

God talks about Christians entering His rest. I know this means ceasing from my own labors to be a godly person and by faith trusting Him for salvation. However, the salvation message is not just a one-time incident. Colossians 2:6 says, “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”

This means my Christian life is also one of trusting Jesus to save and keep me in this life, just as I trusted Him for eternal life. Obviously, that involves realizing my works will not do it and humbly admitting that I cannot save myself. In fact, I cannot do anything with success apart from trusting Him and walking in the Spirit. The flesh (my sinful self) cannot profit in any way. Jesus also said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

All this is subtle. The dream tells me that in a subconscious manner I am trying to simplify my life and enter that rest that God talks about. To ease the clutter means to remove the burdens, but I’m certainly not at rest in the process.

Hebrews 3-4 says that the OT people of God did not enter God’s promised rest because of unbelief and disobedience. They trusted their own rationale (“there are giants in the promised land, too big for us”) instead of trusting God to do what He said He would do and wound up wandering in the wilderness for a long time.

Last night was a wilderness experience. I know that because the Word of God has separated my fleshy efforts from the work of the Holy Spirit. I can see this from reading this!

Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:11–13)

“Strive” should read “eager” because it does not mean ‘try harder’ or put effort in. It simply means to want the rest that God is talking about, a rest of obedience and walking with Him AND He uses His Word to expose what is flesh and what is spirit. The people in the wilderness may not have defined their sin this way, but they knew what God told them to do and decided God didn’t know what He was talking about. Yikes. I know it too and feel exposed — by a crazy dream too.

The answer to all this comes a few verses later. It tells me that Jesus knows what it is like to live in a human body and battle the temptation to humanly solve issues, but He didn’t give in to that . . .

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14–16)

APPLY: When I am tempted to do anything without first drawing near for the grace needed, I must recognize and confess the flesh trying to overrule the Spirit. I’m to walk in Him, trusting and obeying Him. Otherwise, the flesh profits nothing and the efforts to do whatever I want to do are in vain.