At Rest

Leviticus 23:3 – There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the LORD.

Your body rushes in the morning to get out the door in time. Your mind rushes and already has its mind on what you need to do when you get there.
 
Your body rushes in the late afternoon to attempt to complete the work before you. Your mind has been pushing itself all day to try to catch up, but it only causes you to be distracted and make mistakes causing you to have to start all over.
 
Your body rushes in the evening to arrive at home in time to have dinner with your family, but you had to work overtime to complete your day’s work. Your mind can’t seem to disconnect from your job. You want it to be focused on your family, but thoughts about work win.
 
Your body rushes at night as you try to get some sleep, but it’s so exhausted from working so many hours that you can’t. Your mind also wants to let go of the things that you’ll have to do tomorrow, but you can’t disconnect.
 
So you count sheep, take deep breathes, put your mind on something relaxing like water running down a mountain stream, but you can’t. And tomorrow, it will start all over again.
 
Do you let your body have permission to rest or do you push it beyond what you should?
 
If you continue to push yourself beyond what you need to and into conquering what you want to, you may find yourself flat on your bed sick with the flu again.
 
So how can we help our mind and body find renewed energy and at the same time peace of mind? By making it a priority to allow your body and mind rest.
 
There are many kinds of rest –

• Take a break twice a day even if you’re behind in your work. That’s what those breaks that your job allows are for. Don’t ignore them. With renewed focus you’ll be able to complete your tasks.

 

• Take a break once a week to unload and re-energize yourself. Yes, rest can renew your energy.

 

• And also take a break once or twice a year to use your vacation days and get away from the over working, over trying, over activities you normally have to do.

 
But what if you don’t have money to take a vacation? Well here’s an idea: be on a vacation at home.

• Have you ever visited the sights you have in your own backyard like visiting a local museum or taking a day to travel to a park near the edges of the mountain ridge that surrounds you? You can also go window shopping down the streets of your home town. Or take your family out to watch a movie.

 
Huffingtonpost.com has a great article, “8 Ways to Unplug and Recharge Your Brain,” providing ways to unplug, rest and renew your mind. If you renew your mind, your body will fall in line and find ways to rest also.

Did you know that God was the first one to talk, even command, people to take the seventh day of the week off and rest? He is our example. Even he rested after creating the world in six days. He’s interested in helping you rest and still get your work done. He will help you complete your work faster and with fewer errors when you take the time to rest.

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