Beautiful People,

The abundance of Christ's grace and love compels us to do good. We are nearing the end of the school year, and I can feel the exhaustion—we all can. In this world, exhaustion is inevitable. Stress and fatigue are common variables in this life equation. Their effects on our attitudes and behavior are numerous. Exhaustion can diminish our desire to do good, and often, instead of refreshing our souls, we continue in a state of exhaustion, a state that is reluctant to do good for others. Exhaustion is a response to our need for rest; that is why Jesus says, "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).

The desire of God's heart for us is to rest in His presence. Only in His presence can we exhaust exhaustion. Only in His presence can we find nourishment to do good again. The good we do is an outflow of the trust and love we share with Jesus. Our demanding schedules perpetuate exhaustion; however, we can take back control of our schedules by intentionally communing with Jesus. Exhaustion doesn't have to ensnare us; we can have freedom in the rest that Christ provides. That freedom frees us to continue to do good to those around us. Today's focus is "what do you need to do to rest in Jesus and continue to do good for those around you?"