One of man’s most cherished longings is to find peace of heart and mind. Is this selfish? No, but the longing to have this peace is often man’s most elusive dream.

Some strive to attain goals — only to find that success often brings discouragement. When others don’t reach their goals, they often languish in depression. Is there a path that we can follow that leads to a place of rest and peace?

Perhaps you have endured a lifelong feeling of defeat. You have had some success, some failure, and some gray areas where you do not know exactly what you have accomplished. But you cannot say, “I have reached a place of rest.”

The children of Israel did not reach “the land flowing with milk and honey.” Their rebellion left Moses confused and uncertain. He asked God how he could successfully lead his people to the Promised Land. The answer God gave Moses can be of special inspiration to us: My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest…because I am pleased with you and I know you by name (Exodus 33:14,17 NIV). When we know that God is pleased with us, He gives us rest!

You and I are not challenged by God to possess a geographical portion of this earth. He has told us to receive our inheritance through faith in His Son and to share that blessing with others. But our “enemies” are constantly challenging us.

One of our enemies is fear! We may fear that because of our own weakness we cannot do what God has told us to do. We know that others need to hear the Good News, but we fear to tell them. That is exactly what caused the Israelites to fail! If we fail to do God’s will we’ll always feel that something is wrong.

Jesus came to tell us that He is our source of peace. He said, Learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls (Matthew 11:29 NIV). Paul wrote, Now we who have believed enter that rest just as God has said (Hebrews 4:3 NIV).

Paul taught us that the Kingdom of God is living a life of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17 NIV). And in chapter five of Galatians we find that one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit is peace.

Whatever God has told us to do, we must believe that we can do it. Jesus said to tell the entire world God’s plan of salvation. We can obey that calling! We must believe that the power of the Holy Spirit, Who dwells within, will help us fulfill the mission God has given us. Many people in our own country have no idea what the Good News of the Gospel is! There is still time to lay aside our fears and find ways to help people enter the “Promised Land.” (Reprint from August 2000)