What I'm Learning About Rest
With spring blooming around here, my calendar is following suit.
The thing is, it's all good stuff - spring break plans, daily checklists, dinners out, sports stuff, spring cleaning, yard work, and friendly get-togethers. But in truth, I need downtime. For me, sometimes the very best thing for is nothing at all.
What about you? How are you resting? This week I was reminded that rest is the foundation for everything - our bodies, minds, and our souls. It informs the rhythm of our days. For real, I know this stuff, but I'm not very good at living it. How we rest dictates how we live our lives. If like me, you struggle with resting every day, not just on the weekends, here are a few things to encourage you.
A Few Gentle Reminders About Rest
Choose the Free Space.
When you play Bingo, the first thing you do is put your chip on the free space. We don’t have to do anything to earn it or complete our card to get it. The free space is the thing we get first. What if instead of adding all the things to my schedule, I schedule rest first? For me that might mean blocking out some time for puttering, a little gardening, or my favorite of all, nothing time. Choosing the free space first feels life-giving to my heart.
Get Clear on What You Need.
Recently I was shoving leftovers into my fridge, only to have everything come tumbling out. My overfull fridge looked like my life -- many good things, but way too many crammed in. Taking the time to slow down, clean things out and create space felt like an act of kindness. Maybe you don't have overfull spaces, but my encouragement is to consider what is getting in the way of a rest-filled day. Are you like me, trying to cram too many things in? Or are you simply needing to slow down and breathe? Consider where you need to invite some restful spaces and breathing room in your day.
Spend Time with the Best Rester Every Day
To set a daily tone of rest, my day needs to start with rest. When I can start by listening, marinating on scripture, and praying, I feel better. Not only does it calm me, but it allows me to take inventory of what's in my heart. Sometimes I let other stuff take priority - like laundry, email, to-dos, and the minutiae of life. When I can shove all of the busy tasks aside and spend time with the Father before my day gets going, everything is better. In truth, I like to make rest harder than it needs to be. But truly, all l I have to do is watch and study how Jesus did it. He was really good at working hard and resting hard. He took time away on a regular basis to commune with Father and pray. When I spend time with God first, I am better.
What About You? What Helps You Find Rest?
My invitation is to consider what helps you operate in "full cup mode." Those we love and do life with deserve not just our leftovers, but the very best of us. I think we were made to live full and abundant lives. This starts with knowing how to rest well.
Resting well allows us
to pour out abundantly for the hearts that surround us.
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Here's a Free Printable to Remind You To Rest This Week
Subscribe & Share with a Friend Who Encourages Rest.
