Finding Rest In God
The Question We All Ask: “Why?”
At some point or another, every one of us has found ourselves wanting to ask God, “Why?” Why is there so much heartache on this Earth? Why am I facing these challenges? Why did You create life to be this way? If you haven’t asked yet, I surely have. But after much soul-searching, I believe I’ve received an answer that brings a sense of peace to my heart.
God’s Perfect Design
When we go back to the very beginning in Genesis 1, we see God — “Elohim” — lovingly crafting every detail of this world with us in mind. On the first day, He created light and darkness, a light that came from Him alone. On the second day, He established the sky and atmosphere, giving us the very breath we need to live. He then brought forth dry land, giving our bodies a place to belong, and created the sun and moon to bring rhythm to our days and nights. Day by day, He carefully prepared the Earth, filling it with animals, plants, and everything needed to sustain us. Then, on the sixth day, He created humanity — beings with a body, spirit, and the breath of God’s own life.
A Place of Pure Delight
God placed Adam and Eve in Eden, a place of pure delight, where they could walk with Him and commune without barriers. He wanted them, just as He wants us, to enjoy His creation, nurture it, and honor Him. When He rested on the seventh day, it wasn’t out of fatigue but to signify that His work was done. He was inviting us into His rest, a space where we could live freely with Him, with no obstacles in between.
Our Desire for Independence
But just like a child longing for independence, humanity strayed, wanting to chart our own course — a story I know all too well. We left Eden, that place of pure delight and spiritual rest, seeking something we thought would be better. And yet, despite it all, God’s desire to be close to us never wavered. The Bible is filled with His pursuit of us, His desire to bring us back to Eden — back to the rest He originally created for us.
Why We Face Trials
So why do we endure trials? Why does life feel like a wilderness at times? First, we have an adversary, Satan, who was cast out of that place of rest and now seeks to draw us away from it too. But God hasn’t left us unprepared. He’s given us wisdom, strength, and His Word to navigate every battle. Secondly, just like the Israelites’ journey from Egypt to the promised land, God sometimes leads us through our own “wilderness” seasons. It’s in those times that He refines us, teaches us to depend on Him, and prepares us to enter into deeper rest with Him.
Rediscovering Eden Along the Way
Understanding this has brought such peace to my heart. When questions rise, I remember that my journey is ultimately a path back to Eden — back to that place of closeness, delight, and rest in God. I’m learning that this journey isn’t just about enduring the wilderness but about finding glimpses of Eden along the way.
