R&R
the value of rest & relaxation
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
I am weary and burdened, and I desperately needed rest and time to relax and refresh. I don’t know the last time I had a good night’s sleep or felt like myself.
Last week was the week. I was FINALLY going to get away. I couldn’t wait to have a break from the challenges of the past several months. I was looking forward to checking out and just resting and relaxing, getting away with my husband, and escaping the past months of hospital visits, doctor appointments, not feeling so great, and work.
I was blessed to have the opportunity to join Greg and spend time at his parents place on Spirit Lake. I didn’t realize just how much I needed this time of rest and relaxation until I was there. Unfortunately, I ended up dealing with a reaction to my breast cancer medication while I was there.
It didn’t end up being the exact break I wanted and needed, but in the midst of it all, God still provided the reprieve I needed.
photo by Do Nhu @donhu06
This life, as we all know, is hard. Nothing about following Christ promises us an easy go of things, but I can tell you, that while God does not remove the obstacles or challenges of life, He is faithful to give us what we need to push through the obstacles the enemy puts in our way.
The following are the ways in which I experienced God’s faithfulness in the midst of my struggles this week. This is how He showed up and still gave me the R&R I needed in spite of the obstacle I faced, and why God knows how much we need rest and reprieve from the challenges of this life.
My unexpected allergic reaction from the sun because of my medication made my days and especially my nights pretty miserable. The hives, rash, and itching was ridiculous. Sleeping was almost impossible, but when I called out to God to please, give me a reprieve from the endless and unbearable itching and sleeplessness, He was there.
I didn’t get instant or all-night relief, but I did get windows of relief that made it more manageable, and when I couldn’t sleep, He put songs in my heart that comforted me through the long hours of the night. Best of all, He provided AMAZING sunrises for me to see in the wee early hours of the morning, and I felt His presence with me.
We can take comfort in knowing, God knows what it’s like to be tired and weary. He was human too. He understands our need for rest.
God rested and He knows rest is important.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done. (Gen. 2:2-3 NIV)
God knows our bodies are weak and need to recharge.
Jesus, being God and human , got tired and took time to rest.
Remember when Jesus calmed the storm on the Sea of Galilee? When the storm arose, Jesus lay asleep inside the boat on a cushion.
Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. (Matt. 8:23-24 NIV)
God knows that rest enables us to reset our priorities by reflecting, realigning, and resetting our focus on what is important.
· Am I headed in the right direction?
· What changes or adjustments do I need to make in my life?
· Where am I spiritually compared to five years ago?
· Am I fulfilling my calling?
This week didn’t go exactly as I had pictured, expected or planned, but I could still see God’s hand over it all.
“The world is a trying and complicated place, and all human beings long for rest. We want to be set free from our anxieties. We want to find comfort. We want to experience joy. In Jesus, God has provided rest for weary souls. Everyone can find some measure of rest from a relaxing vacation, time with friends, or a day at the beach, but none of it compares to the true rest that we can find by being united to Christ.” Jesus film project 12 Bible Verses about Rest
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