So yesterday I fell asleep while I was sitting down between leaving my office and before I was due to make dinner for my family. Seriously. I sat down to decompress between hat-switching and fell asleep. The worst part is that I slept long enough to miss getting the potatoes in the oven on time so that we could eat them at the same time with the rest of our dinner. I ended up taking them out too early. No one likes crunchy baked potatoes…
Have you ever been there? Taking on so much that resting just doesn’t happen until your body literally says: I don’t know about you, but I am D.O.N.E!
This is usually due to the complete fullness of our daily lives, isn’t it? Even when we can get rest, as on the weekend or even at bedtime, our minds whir so crazily that falling or even staying asleep is difficult. We keep pushing through though until our bodies take over in the form of falling asleep at the “wrong” time or even getting sick so as to make us rest.
We know we need to get rest though, right? I mean, how on earth can we realistically expect to be able to unendingly push ourselves past our limits without consequences?
I think it has to do with the false belief that we do not have any other choice.
Let’s start with what the Bible has to say:
Matthew 11:28-30 The Message (MSG)
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
There is another way to live, and we have a choice in that.
Choose to value your need for rest. If you don’t hold it as important, why would anyone else?
Choose to say no. One of the best things you can learn to say that expresses the value you have on yourself is something like this: “I really would like to ____________ but I am choosing to use that time to take care of myself so I can continue taking care of my responsibilities.” Even if the only person you say this to is yourself, it will make a difference.
Choose to fill your time with what fills you. Resting doesn’t mean only sleep. What calms you? What feeds your soul? Do you need a walk? To listen to some music? To spend time in God’s Word receiving His truth about you?
Choose to make this a habit. We have a choice in what we allow into our schedules. Once we acknowledge our need for rest, learn to say no, and determine what we do need instead, it will become easier to take care of ourselves regularly because we will see the benefits: We are better women, from our roles as wives and mothers, to the work we do, when we take care to get the rest we need. It will take time, but choosing REGULARLY to take care to get the rest we need will pay off.
Imagine with me how your life will benefit from getting the rest you need. Now imagine that refreshed woman interacting in all the other areas of her life: She is more patient, loving, and available, is she not? We do not have to live with the no-rest-for-the-weary mentality any longer. You have a choice.
May I pray for you?
Lord Jesus, we need you. Our lives are full, so full, and rest does not come as much as we need it to. Please help us choose to trust you. Help us to choose to value our need for rest and follow you in receiving it your way. Help us to make rest a habit in our daily lives so that we can live freely and lightly. Amen
Join the Conversation: What has been keeping you from resting? How can you defeat the no-rest-for-the-weary-mentality today?