Take a Rest

You know that feeling of trying to wake from a not so deep couch sleep that happened because you paused and took five to sit?

That five minutes then turned into an hour that left you stiff because you fell asleep in some sort awkward position between a child and pillow. When you finally wake you feel so heavy that you are afraid to move your limbs and any motivation that you had throughout the day is totally depleted from your body. That’s me right at this very moment.

I started off the day doing well enough. Full of activity and chore lists that would get done no matter what. As we checked off our to-dos, I felt good. It’s when I sat in between the chores and the next thing that my body said it was time to do something that wasn’t planned. It was time to rest.

We don’t take enough time to provide self-care for ourselves. We bustle around taking care of our families, work, churches, and communities. We want them well, fed spiritually and physically, and full of contentment. Often times we think we are complete when we see those under our care thriving. However we don’t see that on our insides we are draining faster than we can fill up.

Hebrews 4:9-11 ESV

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from His. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

God rested. When the one who can snuff out any light with barely a thought, who transcends everything ordains a day of rest for Himself, we best follow suit and be blessed by it. He commands us to rest and to do so in obedience.

They say a mother’s work is never done, a man needs to provide for his family and all the sayings, musings and quotes in between. All true and blessed by the Lord, but God also knows that when we don’t stop to follow His guidance in all things, burn out will happen. Awkward stiff neck sleeping will find you on a Saturday afternoon.

We are always looking for our starting point with a finish line in sight. Our race doesn’t stop for a lifetime, but there is a rest stop with refreshment for mind, body and spirit. We must seek it frequently and without guilt.