The Challenge to Rest
Help! I need to rest….but my brain won’t shut off! The Apostle Paul struggled with knowing what he should do–and not doing it (paraphrase of Romans 7:15). This describes my battle with rest.
Rest is something we both seek and run from. [Click to Tweet] It’s a basic need but most often we don’t succumb unless we’re forced by sickness or other circumstances. And, even if we are sitting quietly in a recliner with a cast on our foot, our brain and inner-thoughts are racing faster than ever.
True?
It is for me.
Even when I have nothing planned, I invent things to fill my day so that I can say I accomplished something.
Yes, I am one that will make a to-do list and then add things at the end of the day just so I can check them off. It looks so good on paper.
How about you? Is it easy or difficult to truly rest? Can you let go of the agenda and take the day as it comes? Or do you need to somehow control it so it won’t get away from you?
When I have things that need doing, the hardest thing for me is to do nothing. But, without a break I can’t continue the pace. Do you see the dilemma?
Time to rest is what revives and refreshes.
Taking a break makes me realize it is not my strength that accomplishes things. If I’m honest, I think more things happen while I am taking a siesta than when I am towing the line.
Have you ever noticed that?
Rest brings the breakthrough [Click to Tweet]—whatever we have been waiting for—the new idea—the answer to the question—the solution to the situation. When we rest, we step out of the way and allow God to work.
So, this is my situation at the moment: I have things simmering on all four burners and I don’t feel like I’m making headway on any of them.
- I need to write blog posts (okay, maybe this might become one)
- I need to finish writing retreat sessions
- I need to work on two speaking topics
- I need to tackle clutter piles in my office
And, the list goes on…
The more I think about my “need to-do” list, the more I find to do. [Click to Tweet] It’s a never ending race and I am the only one that can make it stop.
The call to rest helps me to prioritize and prune so I can focus on what’s most important. The problem is, I need to answer the call otherwise rest will continue to be an elusive goal.
Do you have ways to allow yourself to rest, despite what your list looks like?
I’d love to hear your thoughts and I will compile them for another post.
One way to be intentional about REST is to plan a getaway with God. There is something about getting away from the distractions so you can focus on Him and what He wants to say.
Trying to Rest,
Jeanne
Years ago, David Ingles sang a song called, This is the Refreshing. You can listen to it on Youtube.
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Jeanne, Another truth………what is it with us? At this stage of life I am able to do a little, then sit, do a little, then sit. Not always possible, especially young at home or out of the home Mom’s. Even now, the rest time doesn’t shut the brain off. We live in a fast paced time. Sometimes we wear “busy” like a badge. Lord, deliver me from this. Thank you Jeanne. Mom
Thanks for your thoughts, MOM. I know how much alike we are. We do wear busy like a badge sometimes.
This is so true for me too, Jeanne! It’s easy to plug away until there’s nothing left it seems… Recently, I reluctantly (even) carved out space in my calendar to rest with a couple of friends. 😉 When I returned I thought for sure I’d feel left out and like I was falling behind…but it was the complete opposite. Instead I was more creative and more productive then ever. The reminder to rest was a timely one. Thank-you, friend.
Rebecca, I love how your experience shows what rest can do. There is a Streams in the Desert devotional that talks about there is still music in a musical rest. It is part of the whole and so necessary to the piece. That spoke volumes to me.
Oh, I’m soooo with you, Jeanne! But I have discovered that since committing to a Sabbath rest on Sunday (doing nothing other than worship, lunch, a nap, and reading or watching TV), I am doing better in the “rest” department. It’s becoming easier for me to turn things off in my head. Not always, mind you, but much more often than before.
At first, I thought there was no way I could go without working on Sunday. After all, I was working 7 days a week and couldn’t keep up as it was! But I’ve been taking a Sunday Sabbath about 6 months, and now I look forward to it every week! And I can’t tell much difference at all in my To-Do list. It’s still constantly too long, but now I have more of the attitude that I can’t do everything and I’ll get things done as soon as I can.
And the world hasn’t come to an end because I stopped working on Sunday. 🙂 Thank you for your honesty!
I think observing a Sabbath-rest is a must for our health. Thanks for sharing that Vonda. I am constantly asking the Lord to make me sit down on the inside as well as the outside 🙂