Guys, I overdid it. And I know what you’re thinking. Oh, no, not another mom story. Yes, indeed it is, my incredibly intelligent and observant reader. But like all of my other “mom stories,” there is a lesson to be learned. A lesson I wanted to share with all of you. So, here it goes…
I’m not good at resting.
I am a person who knows what I am good at and what I am not. And I am absolutely terrible at resting. Just ask my husband. I am not the type of person who can easily sit down without thinking I should be doing something else.
This past week was busy with different appointments, calls, and tasks to be accomplished. I, being the incredibly smart person that I am (the sarcasm is practically dripping off my fingers as I type this), thought it was a good idea to add cleaning the entire house to the to-do list. Also, the same person who thought they also needed to move every heavy piece of furniture in all the bedrooms so that they could vacuum under them.
By Tuesday, I’d had a long week. By Friday, I was telling my mom on the phone how fatigued I was. And she, being the blunt and wise person that she is, told me, “Well, yeah. You overdid it.” Her solution? Rest. (Easier said than done for me… Especially with two small kids.)
Luckily, my hard week timed out perfectly with a three-day weekend. And I plan to spend it with family, a good book, plenty of coffee, my favorite fuzzy blanket, and, right now, you. Since God is showing off with timing recently, He also deemed it appropriate that my devotion would cover the same topic of rest. Which got me researching rest in the Bible. Here’s what I found…
Rest is NECESSARY
Throughout the entire Bible, there are examples of rest. And amongst all the references to our need for rest, there are three reasons that stood out most to me.
Our bodies need rest.
In 1 Kings 19:1-8, we see the prophet, Elijah, crying out for God to end his life. His life had been threatened by King Ahab’s wife, Jezebel, and he had escaped into the desert to die. And what did God do? He gave Elijah what he needed to continue on his hard journey: food, water, and rest.
Honestly, that’s what all of us need half the time, right? We’re only human. We weren’t made to endure stress or lack of sleep and nourishment. It’s a wonder what a good nap can do for your mental health or physical wellbeing. When life feels like it will never get better, rest.
Our souls need rest.
We all know this story. In Matthew 8:23-27, we read about Jesus on a boat. It’s no Sunday sail out on the bay, but a rather stressful ride. There is a terrible storm that manages to scare every single one of the disciples. I don’t know about you, but I’d be scared out of my mind, too. I’ve been in the middle of a somewhat calm ocean and most of my time was spent over the side railing feeding the fish, if you know what I mean. To be in the middle of a storm would be a nightmare for me.
They run to find Jesus on the boat and find him, you guessed it, taking a nap. When they wake him, His reaction is to scold them for their lack of faith.
But Jesus’s reaction teaches us that even in the storms of life, we need to not only rest, but trust God to carry us through. He states, “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 (Matthew 11:28-29).”
When no amount of naps can rejuvenate your soul, rest in God and trust that He will provide.
Rest isn’t just for tired bodies or souls.
How could I not mention the very first and most known example of rest in the Bible? After creating the entire universe, God took the seventh day to REST. But He didn’t rest because He was tired. (He’s God. He doesn’t get tired.) God rested to enjoy and admire His creation.
We might have never created entire universes from nothing, but we as humans have our own set of accomplishments. Rest isn’t a setback. It’s a part of the journey. If we never rested, we’d never be able to reach our goals in the first place. And when we have accomplished them, we need to take a page from God’s book (literally) and rest, admiring the beauty of our lives.
In a world that says we have to keep moving or fall behind, we need to listen to God’s voice and REST. It’s a necessary part of the process.
Take a break, my friends. Grab a blanket and a good book. Take a long, hot bath. Do what rests your body and soul. And never forget to rest in God.
I’m going to go take my own advice. The book sitting next to me is calling my name. Until next time.
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Here’s one of my favorite worship songs to listen to when my soul is weary! It makes me feel so closely held by God. Listen here!
