Rest is important. It sounds really simple and that we should be able to rest. Does anyone feel that they can in this fast-paced world? We can contact people around the globe via the Internet night and day. We could be awake 24/7 and work if we wanted to. So many people live with their electronic devices on all the time and expect replies instantly. However, not many people concentrate on the concept of resting. They go on holiday and, it takes them a few days to calm down from the “buzz” of normal life.
Is this really the way you should live?
Having spent nearly a year in bed, I have had to learn the importance of resting. I have been pushing my body far beyond where it can go for years. So, in the end, it laid me up in bed for a long time. At first, I was really frustrated because I wanted to get up and get on with things and my body simply didn’t let me. I had to learn how to rest and take the rest I needed because without it, I couldn’t function at all.
God says rest
God himself instituted rest. When you read in Genesis, we see that God Himself rested on the seventh day after creating the world and everything in it. Later on, when he set up the children of Israel in the wilderness, he instituted a day of rest with instructions that they didn’t have to go collect mana on the seventh day. So, one in seven days really ought to be a rest for you. It is not a selfish thing to do. If you need to rest, don’t try and book yourself up with more things to do, but give your body, mind, and spirit a chance to rest.
Rest and Trust
There were also times in the Bible where God told people to rest and trust that He would sort things out. Often, he wanted people to learn how to trust Him. He would give them things to do, but He also helped to solve the problem too. Resting and relying on what God can do for you is an important part of trusting and resting in God alone. Rest and trust are closely intertwined. If you trust God, you rest in the fact that He will sort out your problems and don’t panic. I’m not saying you don’t do what you can – you need to! You trust and rest in God while you play your part in life as well.
Where do you find rest and trust in God difficult? Please do let me know in the comments.
Meet Anika
Anika is a regular blogger on her website www.anikas-amblings.com and can also be found at www.bathias-gifts.com where she is in the process of creating beautiful digital art. She is married with a son and lives in Scotland
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Rest is important. It sounds really simple and that we should be able to rest. Does anyone feel that they can in this fast-paced world? We can contact people around the globe via the Internet night and day. We could be awake 24/7 and work if we wanted to. So many people live with their electronic devices on all the time and expect replies instantly. However, not many people concentrate on the concept of resting. They go on holiday and, it takes them a few days to calm down from the “buzz” of normal life.
Is this really the way you should live?
Having spent nearly a year in bed, I have had to learn the importance of resting. I have been pushing my body far beyond where it can go for years. So, in the end, it laid me up in bed for a long time. At first, I was really frustrated because I wanted to get up and get on with things and my body simply didn’t let me. I had to learn how to rest and take the rest I needed because without it, I couldn’t function at all.
God says rest
God himself instituted rest. When you read in Genesis, we see that God Himself rested on the seventh day after creating the world and everything in it. Later on, when he set up the children of Israel in the wilderness, he instituted a day of rest with instructions that they didn’t have to go collect mana on the seventh day. So, one in seven days really ought to be a rest for you. It is not a selfish thing to do. If you need to rest, don’t try and book yourself up with more things to do, but give your body, mind, and spirit a chance to rest.
Rest and Trust
There were also times in the Bible where God told people to rest and trust that He would sort things out. Often, he wanted people to learn how to trust Him. He would give them things to do, but He also helped to solve the problem too. Resting and relying on what God can do for you is an important part of trusting and resting in God alone. Rest and trust are closely intertwined. If you trust God, you rest in the fact that He will sort out your problems and don’t panic. I’m not saying you don’t do what you can – you need to! You trust and rest in God while you play your part in life as well.
Where do you find rest and trust in God difficult? Please do let me know in the comments.
Meet Anika
Enjoyed this post? Subscribe to Living Fiercely Loved’s weekly newsletter to be the first to receive access to my Free Resources Page which will also give you the links to my FREE ebook.
I think this line from your post is so very important: “There were also times in the Bible where God told people to rest and trust that He would sort things out.”
I find that it’s hard to slow down and rest on most days. So when I know that I need to take a break, I make an Epsom salt bath. While I soak, I work on memorizing verses and pray. It’s amazing how calm and focused I can feel afterward. Often, I feel like I didn’t lose any time at all while resting because I’m much better equipped to handle my remaining tasks for the day.
I love the truths you share here. I needed to read this today. God gave me the word patience for 2017. I would not have chosen that word but I will trust His leading because He wants what is best for me. I hope you have a wonderful week and may God bless you and yours in 2017.
Thank you Horace for your words. I am so glad God has given you the word patient for the year. Sometimes it’s not what we want but what God wants and that’s ok.
Anika
Well Lauren I think you have worked out the perfect way to rest and refresh at the same time. Just remember to keep doing it! If you’re anything like me it’s so easy to forget when I get caught up with anything else. So easy to forget ourselves and try to keep going.
Anika
This type of rest (while also being active in the resolution of my problems) is something that I’ve been working on for a long time. It takes effort, not as easy as it sounds, and this post hits it right on the head, we must learn that in the end He is faithful to us through to the resolution.
Absolutely Jennifer! Learning it is hard and an ongoing job.
This is such a good reminder that we need to do our part but then rest and let go and let God. I heard once that we have a tendency to give our problems to God and then take them back.
Dawn, how true this is! If we give something to God, we have to leave our problems with Him.
Such a great reminder! I really struggle with this. Love it!
So glad it’s been a good reminder for you Gina. It is still important to make rest part of our culture today.