I had a couple terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days last week. Details, I am sure, would only serve as comparison charts so, suffice to say, it was the kind that made me want to move to Australia.

I never look forward to those days, but every so often they make an unwelcome appearance. They start out just like every other day, but then diverge as one thing after another produces a snowball of negativity. Often, it’s overwhelming. If only Australia weren’t so far away.

Practically speaking, though, I doubt I’d ever really go. Seriously, packing up my entire family to go the pool is challenging enough, imagine the move across continents. I prefer a more domestic approach; like locking myself in my closet and screaming until my voice runs dry. I’ll admit a domestic approach like that is sometimes equally exhausting. Too often I exhaust myself before remembering I need rest.

I’m not talking about a nap in the middle of the day, although that’s not a bad idea. I’m talking about the kind of rest that frees me to admit even though life is good and I am blessed, sometimes it takes more energy to smile than I’ve got. The kind of rest that say’s it’s okay to spend most days encouraging the people around me and sometimes struggle to encourage myself. The kind of rest where I admit I have bad days and that doesn’t make me weak, it makes me real. Rest to the innermost places of my heart and the depths of my soul; that is the kind of rest I am talking about. There is only one place to find it.

Matt 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”

Jesus say’s, “Come to me…and I will give you rest”, and He does. I rest knowing that His yoke is easy and His burden is light (30). When my thoughts are heavy and weighed down I know I am carrying a load that God never intended for me. But when I weigh the Truth against the lies, Truth always wins, and then my thoughts are light again. When I look to Truth for my rest there is joy, peace, and clarity.

Sometimes I have bad days. Sometimes I have terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days. Some days are like that… even in Australia.

Praying you experience His rest this week.