Remember when you were a kid and your parents made you take naps? Youโd whine and complain because there are so many other fun things to do! Why would you want to sleep?! Those times seem so simple in comparison to life as an adult. Now we avoid (or are prevented from) resting for very different reasons.
Life gets crazy with things like working, studying, making sure your kid gets to that birthday party, shopping for groceries, paying bills; the list goes on and on. When our to-do list gets filled up, rest feels impossible or like a bad use of our time. But even though our duties are important, taking time to rest is never a waste.
God designed us to need rest. In fact, itโs all throughout the biblical story: God rested after creating the earth (Genesis 2:2); Jesus fell asleep on the boat during a storm (Matthew 8:24); Elijah slept and ate to prepare for the journey ahead (1 Kings 19:5-9). These are just a few examples of rest in the Bible, and two of them are God himself! And if the all-powerful Creator of the universe needs rest, we certainly do too.
Without it, we wouldnโt be able to do the work that God has for us. Just think about how you feel when you let all of your responsibilities take precedence over your rest. We feel so exhausted, we canโt even put effort into the things we need to do. In short, weโre burnt out.ย
When we look at Elijah, we see that before he rested, he felt like this. He even begs God to kill him instead of making him keep going (1 Kings 19:4). Heโd done so much, and had so far to go, it didnโt seem possible for him to continue on. But God wasnโt done with him yet. God saw that, in order to fulfill what he had for him, Elijah needed rest. So God let Elijah sleep and gave him food to replenish his body. Only after that was Elijah prepared to embark on his journey.ย
God wants us to lean on him. Jesus even says: โCome to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you restโ (Matthew 11:28). We canโt do it all on our own strength, and thatโs the point.
Only he can replenish our souls, remind us of what heโs done and can do, and get us ready for our next adventure.ย
So what might rest look like on a daily basis? Weโre glad you asked. Weโve included some ideas to help you get started.ย
1. Delete email from your phone
Even when weโre at home, work always finds a way to grab our attention, especially when weโre constantly getting email notifications on our phones. Deleting email applications (or at least turning off notifications) can ensure that you wonโt be drawn to do work while youโre resting and make you more present in your restful moments.
2. Read, or listen to, a book for fun
Reading is a great way to rest because it allows us to interact with something we enjoy. It pulls us away from our present reality and stresses and makes us focus on something new. It also lowers our heart rate and relaxes our muscles, relieving stress.
3. Take a short break between tasks
Taking short periods of rest might seem counterintuitive to getting work done, but it can actually make us more productive. Studies show that when we take breaks, it relieves stress, increases our energy levels, and lessens our need for longer recovery periods at the end of the day.
4. Use your vacation days
Setting aside time to be away from work can feel like a challenge, but itโs super important, especially when those short breaks donโt seem like enough. When weโve been working hard, a longer recovery period is needed, even if itโs just one day. Just because theyโre called โvacation daysโ doesnโt mean you need to go to a tropical place (although that sounds amazing); your vacation can be staying at home and making a delicious meal.ย
5. Take a nap
Napping is sometimes hard for people who feel like they have too much to do. But it can actually help us do our work better and more efficiently. According to studies, napping improves our mood, memory, job performance, and lessens stress.ย
