Part 8. How do we truly rest? (Series: Being Tired)

I don’t know about you, but the idea of rest does not come easy to me… And I don’t mean only physically. Rest is a four-part experience, and one without the other simply causes an imbalance in our beings.

You’ve probably already called it: Rest is a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspect. Of course, for us as believers, spiritual rest is very important.

Did I mention that spiritual rest is very important?

But we are here today to talk about these things by way of asking ourselves: are we receiving the rest we crave?

So, let me ask you,

How do you rest?

And I don’t mean, how do you numb out the world by using distractions? I mean, how and when does your whole being find rest?

Just pause for a moment and think about this.

Find the ways in your life that restore your:

• body (physically)

• mind (mentally)

• soul (emotionally)

• and spirit (spiritually)

Now, a little disclaimer and important aspect to take into consideration when talking about rest: We know that this is a fallen world and unfortunately, we will not experience the fullness of what God intended for us to have through rest on this earth. But there is hope, because one day, we will know what true rest is. In the meantime, we look forward to that day, and we remember that we can find ways to create a space for rest in our lives right now even during the imperfections.

I’m not here to tell you there is a set equation for rest or that the way I rest will work for you. But what I am here to say is that there is a biblical understanding of rest, and when you understand that, I believe your life will change.

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Jess Connolly:

“You’re not bad at resting. You actually can’t be bad at biblical rest, because by definition - it’s not something you accomplish, achieve, or perform. You just receive it.”

True biblical rest looks like coming to the LORD… being still with Him in the secret place and receiving what He has for you - What He freely has given and still gives. Full stop.

Resting is more than numbing the pain or the reality of your real life… Rest is finding peace in Jesus and coming to Him no matter what. No matter the chaos, no matter what tasks you didn’t finish. Just come to Him. And watch Him restore your whole being. (Physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually).

It’s something I cannot fully put into words, but the more I spend time in the secret place, the more I feel at peace… Like I don’t want to leave that space. I’m not perfect, and there is much room to grow and cultivate more time with Him.

But one thing I know for certain: on the good days, on the hard days, on the messy days, when I have it all together or when I don’t, He remains the same, and He restores my soul.

With all this I say, I know many of you are reading this and thinking, Jessie, this is all good and well but so impractical. My life is so busy, between running late to work and always playing catch-up, to a full house where the demands are on me all the time… Some of you feel like you are living in a fishbowl, just waiting for rest to come, like somehow when you finish the to-do list, it will happen. You will have the aesthetic corner in the house where you can drink your coffee, no distractions, and just be.

Well, my friend, as much as I want that stillness for you, it will not happen if you don’t put the boundaries in place. The other part of this lies in the conflict of wanting rest and simply not having it because it’s a season. We all have seasons where life seems to be speeding up, and we hardly catch our breath.

But nonetheless, no matter what season you are in, the point is, rest must be something we cultivate if we want to experience it, even if it’s just in part at the moment.

Jess Connolly coins it really well in three steps. Now, I’m not going to go into them much, but it’s definitely worth mentioning:

1. We must learn that rest should be non-negotiable

2. Boundaries are key

3. Self-care is not selfish

When we learn that rest is important, that boundaries are healthy, and that we can and SHOULD take care of the vessel God has given us, then in fact, we can learn the value in taking time to do so.

Before I end, I thought I would leave you with two things.

First, here are a few ways that I find a lot of joy in and love to cultivate when I’m resting:

• Finding a quiet space to read my bible, journal, pray, and maybe sing and play some music.

• I love drawing and painting - sometimes, these hobbies bring me so much joy, while other times, for some reason, it feels like a chore. So, it’s been important for me to learn the difference between what feels exhausting or not.

• I love to sing and play piano or ukulele for worship

• I do enjoy a good book or a good movie as well. But I know for myself that I must have a good balance in these so that they do not become a comfort zone that keeps me from going deeper with God.

Secondly, I want to leave you with the same question we started with:

How do you rest?

How do you plan on resting this coming week?

And is it true rest? Do you feel rested after those things or is it really just a distraction that doesn't make you feel rested afterward?

On this note, I’m going to not only end this blog but end this series. There is so much to be said about rest, and I know throughout the coming months we will continue to talk about rest, but not as a set series.

This series had been so much fun and I'm so thankful to God for this series. It has helped me reflect, grow, learn, heal and so much more. I hope it can bless you as well and I pray that anything good that has come from this series shows only glory to God.

Thank you for coming along on this journey. I have enjoyed sharing this space with you, and I hope and pray that everything shared encourages you closer to the Father.

With all my love,

Jessie

Until next time.