No one gets through this journey unscathed. We will all face sadness, struggles, worry, sickness, and death. When I face trials I default to a song titled “Hold Me Jesus” from Rich Mullins. He is with Jesus now but Rich Mullins’s ability to capture our faith journey in lyric form was remarkable.

Well, sometimes my life
Just don’t make sense at all
When the mountains look so big
And my faith just seems so small

Right now I am in a pretty good place in my life and journey with Jesus. But a heartbreaking number of my friends and loved ones are going through agonizing struggles and can relate completely to those lyrics. Rich Mullen’s words do not exaggerate the pain.

And I wake up in the night and feel the dark
It’s so hot inside my soul
I swear there must be blisters on my heart

I used to respond to troubles by thinking it must be my fault somehow. God must not be pleased with me. I would decide I had to do something to bolster my faith. I needed to read more verses or do a study or pray more or believe more. But the answer was far more simple and the chorus by Mullins nails it. All I needed was to rest in the love of God.

So hold me Jesus, ’cause I’m shaking like a leaf
You have been King of my glory
Won’t You be my Prince of Peace

I needed to quit flailing and trying so darn hard to be righteous. Hold me Jesus. Won’t you be my Prince of Peace? In those moments this prayer is simple and profound.

“God…would you love me today?”

And He does. I don’t have to “do stuff” for God to earn His favor and receive His love and peace. For those of us “doers” who absolutely must do something here is your homework assignment.

1. Believe what God says is true about you.

That’s it. That is your assignment and it may not be as easy as it looks in print. Believe you are forgiven. Believe you are loved. Believe you are His child. Believe you are adopted. Believe you are redeemed. Believe you are a new creation.

I have made it so stinkin’ complicated and performance based for so many years. When I trust what God says about me I am humbled. I worship. Believing how my Father sees me causes me to obey out of gratitude and not teeth gritting compliance.

Why did I fight this amazing grace and His unconditional love? Well, Rich Mullins nails that too.

Surrender don’t come natural to me
I’d rather fight You for something
I don’t really want
Than to take what You give that I need
And I’ve beat my head against so many walls
Now I’m falling down, I’m falling on my knees

That was me. Beating my head against a performance wall instead of surrendering to the extravagant gift of grace and freedom. Next time you are flailing and striving to please God would you try this simple request?

“Jesus…would you love me today?” He has promised to be there.

“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, NLT)

Hold me Jesus. I want to rest in your love today.