How many of you are feeling weary and in need of some rest? How many of you feel like you are constantly battling against yourself to make the right decisions or just to make it through the day?

If you are, I want to ask you this--where do you look when you are in need of rest?

I consider the fourth chapter of Hebrews to be one of the most encouraging passages of scripture for us. The writer of this book is talking about the rest that we can have in God through Jesus and reminds us that this should be our goal. The very first verse states that entering into this rest is a promise from God, one that has been known for a long time and yet people were missing it because they chose to not believe in what God told them. Faith and obedience are critical when it comes to finding rest.

But the part that I want to look at more closely is toward the end of the chapter. In Hebrews 4:12-16 are real words of hope for us. No matter what we are struggling with or through, we have a high priest or an advocate in Jesus who knows what we are dealing with. The passage says in verse 15 that he understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. Jesus has been in the same spot that you are in; he understands what you struggle with and what you fail to find rest from. He asks that we would put our faith and our trust in Him, the one who has walked the path before us and yet did not fall along the way.

But scripture does not stop there. It goes on in verse sixteen to say that because of this we are to have a boldness when we approach the throne of God, because he is gracious. He will give mercy and we will find grace to help us at the foot of his throne. It is through trusting in Jesus and living in obedience through faith that we can find the rest that we desperately crave.

I have met people who have been in the middle of what many would consider to be a living nightmare, and yet they have complete peace and rest because of where they were focused. They understood that Jesus was there with them and that he was their advocate and that he was the one to whom they could put their trust and find the rest that they desired, despite what their circumstances may have been.

If anyone of you has ever known someone like this, you will understand what I am talking about when I say that it is truly amazing and a real blessing to be around people such as this. I am inspired to be a better person; a better follower of Christ and my faith is rejuvenated when I meet someone that has figured out where their hope and rest lies. So in turn you can be that same witness to others by understanding this principle and implementing this pursuit of Christ in your own life.