April 6
Finding Rest
in Him
"Come to me, all you who are tired and are carrying heavy loads.
I will give you rest.
Become my servants and learn from me.
I am gentle and free of pride.
You will find rest for your souls. Serving me is easy, and my load is light."
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIrV)
Selena and Rick sat together in the dim hospital room, watching their three-year-old daughter, Lily, sleep. Her tiny chest rose and fell steadily, but the wires and machines monitoring her frail body were constant reminders of the battle she was fighting. Diagnosed with a rare heart condition, Lily had spent more time in hospitals than at playgrounds.
Selena’s eyes filled with tears as she whispered, “Why would a good God let this happen? She’s just a child. She hasn’t done anything wrong.”
Rick clenched his fists, his jaw tight with frustration. “I don’t know, Selena. I’ve asked the same thing a hundred times. How could God allow this? It feels so cruel.”
The couple’s once-strong faith had been replaced by doubt, anger, and exhaustion. They had prayed, pleaded, and hoped for a miracle, but the weight of Lily’s condition—and the uncertainty of her future—was crushing them.
One Sunday morning, Rick suggested they visit church. “Maybe we’ll find some answers,” he said hesitantly. Selena nodded, though her heart wasn’t in it.
The sermon that day was based on Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are tired and are carrying heavy loads. I will give you rest.” The pastor spoke about how Jesus doesn’t promise a life free of challenges, but He does promise to walk with us through them. “You don’t have to carry your burdens alone,” the pastor said. “Jesus invites you to bring them to Him and find rest for your weary soul.”
Selena felt a lump rise in her throat. Could it be true? Was God really with them, even in this pain?
That night, Selena and Rick prayed together for the first time in months. Rick’s voice trembled as he said, “Lord, we don’t understand why this is happening. We’re angry and scared, and we don’t know what to do. But we’re giving this to You. We need Your help.”
In the weeks that followed, nothing about Lily’s condition changed. But something shifted in Selena and Rick. They began to feel a peace they couldn’t explain—a sense that they weren’t alone in this struggle. They started leaning on God’s strength, rather than their own.
Selena found herself thanking God for the small joys: Lily’s laughter during storytime, the kindness of a nurse, the prayers of a stranger. Rick began to see God’s faithfulness in their community, in the support of family and friends who rallied around them.
Their burdens didn’t disappear, but they felt lighter knowing that Jesus was carrying them.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You for inviting us to come to You with our heavy burdens.
Like Selena and Rick, we often feel overwhelmed by life’s challenges and question Your goodness in the midst of pain.
Help us to trust in Your promise to give us rest.
Teach us to lean on Your strength and find peace, even when the circumstances don’t change.
Thank You for walking with us, carrying us when we can’t carry ourselves, and giving us hope in the darkest moments.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
