The world tells us that rest is overrated. Push yourself harder – do more – sleep less. The world says, productivity is more important than recharging physically because you don’t have time to slow down. We are seekers of accomplishing more in a day’s time, but at what cost?
I am caught in the whirlwind of what the world says over and over. My mind knows better, but there is something so addicting when following the norm rather than creating our own path. We love the feeling of belonging whether it is best for us or not. There are times that sitting in that place of doing what everyone else is doing is easy and feels normal. Why mess with easy and normal, right?? My mind says go with the flow, but my heart and body say “rest is best”. In a world that speaks louder than your common sense, which one would you choose?
I am a believer in creating rhythms for my life. Rhythms that work in sync with all parts of who I am. Rhythms such as well-being, worship, God’s Word and welcome. The chance to find the pause in our days as I wrote about last week. This week I am looking at rest and the importance of adding that into the pauses we create in our daily life.
Rest is a rhythm that I continue to learn as I practice slowing down and regrouping. When you look into the meaning of rhythm, you find it is a natural flow, a cadence, or a repeated pattern. If we are true to embracing a rhythm, we need to practice it again and again. It is not pausing and resting one day and forgetting about it for weeks after that.
God calls us to rest more than once as He teaches us the importance of adding this rhythm to our lives. He begins modeling rest in Genesis as He creates the world. Genesis 2:2 tells us that on the seventh day, God rested. God declares the Sabbath a day of rest again in Exodus, as Moses is leading the Israelites across the Desert of Sin. The theme of Sabbath rest turns into rest in God in the Psalms.
Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
my hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5
As we travel through the Bible, we find people seeking rest. Eventually we come to Matthew who outlines these words about rest.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 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
[Tweet “Find your rest in God. Lay your burdens at His feet and begin the long exhale of renewal.”]
God is the answer as we are seeking rest. He craves the slowing down, leaning in and the search for renewal in Him. Our rest is always found in God. When I read that following God will bring rest to my soul, I exhale long and slow. The answer is right in front of us. The chance to grab hold of rest is one long exhale away.
Will you choose to pause and rest today? How does resting restore and renew you? Are you ready to lay it all before God in an act of letting go, leaning in and listening to the restorative whispers of His love?
I am choosing a week of rest as I pause to regroup, restore and renew body, mind and soul. I will see you back here next week.
***Did you know that life’s rhythms are an area I need to practice more of in my life? I seem to need these lessons often as I maneuver through life. Because of my journey and desire to learn more, I have put together a 7 day Devotional called, Finding the Rhythms of Your Life, which is my gift to you just for subscribing. See the sidebar or below to sign up to receive your own copy. I pray these 7 days help you in your own journey of discovering your life’s rhythms.
Blessings of grace along the way!
Linking with Lisha @Give Me Grace
I was reading just today that we can’t have balance without rest. Now I read this. Is God trying to tell me something? 😉 Thanks, Mary.
Don’t you love how God keeps pointing you in the direction He wants you to go? Balance, rest and renewal. Beautiful gifts from God. I am praying you were able to explore what balance and rest looks like for you.
Hey Mary, I need this now! My body needs to rest. I have been placed on a bed rest! So I’m on my bed for a long while
Good for me I can read blogs, and do a few while testing.?
Sweet blessings to you
We are not good at gifting ourselves with rest. It is too easy to find the next thing on our to do list. I pray you can quiet your mind while you are on bed rest so you can truly rest. I am glad you will have time to read blogs. Thank you for spending a little time here! Blessings!
I love your concept of finding your rhythm. And it is the beat God planted in us the day we were born isn’t it? When a drummer’s beat is off, it sure messes up the whole band! I put a lot of pressure on myself to perform to the standards of others (even other bloggers). Sometimes I could spend days being plugged in, and other times I don’t want to even look at any social media sites! And can feel guilty (defeated) that my posts skip a week from time to time. But guilt and defeat do not come from God. To do His will, is to rest. Thank you for ministering today and have a wonderful week!
Thank you! I am a musician at heart and the symbolism of rhythm that I am using is like your analogy of a drum beat. It’s either on or off. God is the Master at rhythm and we will find our rest and peace in Him every time. We are so good at comparing ourselves to other’s and when we do we come up short time and time again. Let me assure you that your writing is beautiful and your posts are always ones I look forward to.
I will pray as you turn to God for rest and know that in Him you are everything! Blessings!
Rest is so important. But I too am always not that great at remembering to take time to rest. Enjoy your week off!
Rest is as necessary as other basic necessities. I am learning very slowly how taking that time can make all the difference in our day. So here’s to rest for both of us whatever that looks like for you and me. Happy week friend!
We just got back from four days of unplugging and rest at a little cabin on a river. It was so what I needed. I have come home with a new desire to unplug more, to learn what I’m doing that robs me of inner peace and rest and to eliminate it.
I love hearing how you were able to get away and unplug. What a glorious time that must have been. As you begin to discover what robs you of inner peace, I hope you will share it. I know I spend a lot of time coming back to finding rhythms in my life. Instead of learning the lesson once, I keep revisiting it over and over. Thank you for being here! Blessings!
Good for you, Mary!
I’m starting my new job this week, and have purposeful rest in the back of my mind as I feel my way into new rhythms here in our home.
Always grateful for your words of wisdom here.
I am excited for you as you venture back into the work force. I hope you share some of this new experience with us on your blog. Rest for you will need to be purposeful as you learn a new rhythm in your day to day. I am always grateful for your presence here. Blessings!
Mary,
I love this…”rest and begin the long exhale of renewal”. Due to a condition I have, I often need to take naps. I feel guilty admitting this to people because only lazy people take naps, right? When I allow myself this exhale of renewal I find I am a much more pleasant and patient person. My attitude is better. Maybe we’d all be better off if we worked a siesta into our day? What do you think? Thanks for the encouragement to rest…
Blessings,
Bev
I admire anyone who takes naps. I am terrible at pausing in that way but need to allow myself the grace to just sit and be. Whatever that may look like. I hope to be intentional about doing more resting this summer. I am not good at changing up routine especially here on the blog, but am realizing that this would be such a gift to myself. Here’s to an amazing summer.
I appreciate this beautiful blessing as I enter my own season of leaving a lighter online footprint.
You read my mind, Mary …
Great minds think alike, right??? We certainly are walking the same path it just happens to be 100s of miles apart! 😉 Praying that you find yourself in a place of renewal and restoration. Love you!