Importance of Rest
Renewing Worship | Importance of Rest
Stop.
Take a deep breath and close your eyes. As you rest and breathe deeply, let your body relax. Take a few minutes to reflect on God’s renewal in your life. Give thanks to God for the gift of rest.
Listen.
O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him. – Psalm 34:8
Reflect.
We’ve talked about fun, joy, and hope this week. We’ve discussed how important fun really can be for a life of faith, as it shows us God’s love for us and provides much-needed balance to our lives. We also talked about how sometimes fun isn’t possible in the way you’d prefer, so you have to hold on to the promise of God’s providence for your future and reminders of the joy God has brought to your life in the past.
But there’s one part of life that can’t be pushed off: rest. You need rest now, tomorrow, and always. You don’t earn it. You don’t deserve it. You can’t defer it to a later time. Rest is part of God’s created order for you and cannot be denied.
Throughout scripture, you’ll hear references to God being a refuge or a shelter. God wants you to know you are protected and safe. God wants you to be able to rest from your work, to recover from your labor, to rely fully and only on God for that which truly brings life. Rest is so essential to God’s intentions for us that God set aside a day of creation where we are supposed to rest because God rested. If it’s good enough for God, it’s good enough for us.
Too often, we absorb cultural messaging that you don’t need rest, that breaks must be earned, that exhaustion is a sign of success. That’s not what our faith teaches us. Rest is an essential rhythm of faith and life, modeled for us by our Creator, lived out by our Savior who also took naps and time away to recover. Just as you are worthy of fun no matter what, you’re also worthy of rest.
It is my prayer that you approach the fall and all its planning, coordinating, and scheduling with the renewed intention not to exhaust yourself. May you ensure space for rest, renewal, and recovery. May there be fun and relaxation no matter what the week held. May you trust that your God has made you to enjoy, to celebrate, to rest, to be comforted, and that it is truly part of a life lived faithfully.
Pray.
My Creator, even you rested on the seventh day. Thank you for making that rhythm an essential part of your creation. Be my refuge and safety, a place where I know I am safe and comforted, that I may rest well and live in continuing praise of you. Amen.
Carry On.
What would it look like for you to truly observe a Sabbath rest? Can you set aside a day for faith, family, and rest? How can you make that happen?