Making Time To RestSample

What does it mean to rest?

Our schedules seem to be getting fuller with each passing month. When we attempt to get together with friends, we are surprised that our next open evening is over a month away. There are our kids’ activities, church events, work projects, birthday parties, and summer vacations. We have programmed and planned our entire lives leaving little to no room for anything that might remotely rejuvenate us and offer us rest. 

Too often we think that rest means we should be lazy. It means we can totally chill out at home and do absolutely nothing. While there may be an element of that in our restful times, that is not the whole story. 

Rest is about recovery.
It is knowing when we are drained, exhausted, and need to breathe deeply for a while. It is knowing our limits and how we are handling the demands of our daily lives. In order for our bodies to truly recover, we must receive abundant rest, which includes sleeping well at night. If we find ourselves tired on a regular basis, it would be wise for us to evaluate not only the amount of nightly sleep we are getting but the time frame we are getting it.

Rest is about refreshment. 
It is learning what energizes us and what doesn’t. It is choosing to incorporate activities or stillness that will bring refreshing times to our spirits. If we continue doing things that deplete us when we should be finding things that fill us, refreshment will never come. We must make more deposits into this bucket than withdrawals during our times of rest.

Rest is about renewal. 
It is experiencing a deep renewal in all parts of our lives. It is spending time with God so that we are spiritually made new. While we may love to do certain things that refresh us mentally, ultimately, we need our spirits refreshed by spending time with God each day. 

Over the next four days, we will dive into some ways to find rest for our bodies, minds, and spirits. We will learn how to incorporate routines that become daily habits. And in doing so, we will be on our way towards eliminating mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical depletion from our lives.

Reflect

• When you think of getting rest, does it feel like an impossibility? 
• What area of your life do you feel needs the most rest? Body, mind, or spirit?
• Write down any revelation that God speaks to you through today’s Bible reading or devotional.