Honoring the need to rest

You hear it a million times over.
The necessity of resting.
You feel it deep within your bones.
Your patience level and rashness over gentleness providing their own whispers of, “hey… maybe you should rest.”
And while you know the pause is what would help, the desire to be productive—even in the best places and for the best people—feels SO LOUD.
The disparity between the grace you long to extend others and the grace you allow yourself to sit and receive is big.

The amount of conversations I’ve had with others about this is astounding: SO many are tired. But like not the kind a physical vacation suddenly fixes—soul tired.

It’s like we think that Jesus’ way is totally separate from what actually makes moves, creates growth, + works in the “real world.”

But rest is not just a necessary move for the soul, it’s a strategic move for every other part of you.
No, really, do a practical assessment of it.

For the questions below, consider what provides assistance to the answer or desired destination—rest or doing.
• What helps you determine priority?
• what creates margin to actually listen to others?
• What decides whether you respond or react?
• What allows for revelation to go from head to heart knowledge?
• What promotes confidence in God’s ability to work without your hands touching it?
• What clears your mind so you don’t live so scattered?
• What rejuvenates your body so the work can be purposeful?
• What promotes less of you + more of Him?
REST!!!!!

I know—it’s the thing every devotional talks about in some way and yet—here we are, learning it the hard way until life doesn’t give us an option.
We either get intentional with our breaks or it will break us.
And the breaking of us is mercy—because something had to give.

YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU DO.
Which means, when you’re not doing, your value remains the same.

I’m convinced that honoring the need to rest is one of the greatest ways we can love God, especially in our over-extended, over-stimulated culture.
It’s living out the belief that He really is the source of everything good.

I think the hard thing is realizing how much your flesh will oppose it. But don’t we know? That’s because REST IS LIFE.