Find Rest Beloved

I’ve been reminded of the need to rest this week… I’ve been unwell for a good portion of it so been unable to do much. No, I haven’t been in bed but I’ve been slowed down significantly and it’s been interesting counting on people too, I’m not used to.

Come to think of it, you wouldn’t know I was unwell if you don’t know me well. It’s been interesting not being able to take my daily walk or get a workout done, but I’ve learnt to be at peace about it. Even with all this going on, I’m in the middle of an intense project but God has been and still is very present. He’s constantly making me take time off to regroup and I find I function better afterwards.

Time off hasn’t looked like I thought it would. It’s been a combination of different things: a couple of chapters of a novel, grounding, music, a phone call, a chat, the quiet remembrance of a fond or funny memory, laughter, prayer, meditation…little restful things. There a few things that would make this process better like a hug from very specific people but that hasn’t been there. Yet I have found deep rest in God’s arms.

In the middle of it all, a beloved sister put it into perspective with one comment, “It’s also necessarily to rest…your body needs to recover as much as it needs the workout.”

Bingo! It became clear suddenly… I need to remember that my body is a living organism and times of rest and refreshing are critical. I must therfore plan them in no matter what.

Rest allows healing, restoration, recalibration, renewal, rejuvenation and many more re’s. Rest opens the mind to newness and freshness. It makes it possible to find new ideas, adjust old ones and create understanding for difficult situations and concepts. It’s like plugging a dying handset into power supply.

Some think rest is for the weak but not so much.

I remember burning the candle from both ends for many years and paying the price repeatedly so I’m no longer a proponent of the work until you die. What price did I pay? Illness, bed rest, mood swings, anger… You name it.

So I’m left wondering, how many of the fights people have are connected to a lack of rest? How many difficult bosses are just stressed out and tired? How much road rage can be avoided if we are all better rested? So many things would be different… So many things would be different.

I now continue to find pockets of rest in my life to remain at full throttle. How about you?

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