Regular Rest

Do you take time to rest? Do you allow yourself to relax and recuperate from a busy week? Do you purposely set aside time for rest or is it a catch as catch can situation? Do you know your body, mind, and soul need rest?

Some people seem to never rest. They are always busy doing something. They may hold down two or three jobs. We often call them workaholics. There are some who are always on the go, not necessarily working but searching to be entertained. Both need rest.

God instructed us to set aside time for regular rest thousands of years ago. He knows what science has recently discovered…we need rest. It is not simply physical rest we need. Science has conducted studies that tell us we should get at least seven hours of sleep per night for good physical health. But that is only one area in which we need rest.

Our minds need rest, too. Resting our minds becomes more challenging. Sometimes rest for the mind can come through entertainment. Sometimes it can come through quiet time. It may come from reading a book. Rest for the mind allows us to release the stress of our jobs and other worries.

Rest for our souls is related to both physical and mind but include another key component. To find rest for our souls we must spend time with God. We may find rest for our souls in worship service. However, a more complete rest is found when we are in quiet contemplation, seeking God’s peace and his will for our lives.

Regular rest in all three areas promote good health. With proper rest, we are physically able to complete our work, we are able to focus properly on our tasks, and we have a peace that is beyond understanding. We become a complete person, just as God designed us to be.

I pray we all get the rest we need. I pray we set aside times for physical and mental rest. I pray each one of us seeks quiet times with God to acquire the peace our soul’s desire. Set aside time to rest. Rest physically. Rest mentally. Seek rest for your soul. Spend quiet time with God. Give your worries to God. Accept his peace.

Exodus 34:21 “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest.”