Be Still

 Rest is important. We’ve been told this for years. But what does that really mean? It is something that I am constantly trying to figure out. I know that rest is a physical thing, to be able to care for your body through enough sleep or even slow your pace down enough to see the smaller moments in life. Rest, I am convinced, is far more than that because no matter how much I sleep or create time to just be, I don’t always feel rested.

If we look at the idea of wellness in different areas of our being – physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual and relational, I wonder if our idea of rest changes. How is it that we can decompress and restore in all of these areas of our lives? Is it truly possible to feel rested in each of these areas simultaneously?

We are constantly bombarded with information, media, opinions, reschedules, plans, events, commitments, news, invitations… It seems like it never ends. Don’t get me wrong, these aren’t bad things, but they also keep us from truly resting. Resting is a form of restoration. A chance for your brain to reduce its cortisol – the stress hormones, rebalance your body, calm the breath, the heart and the mind alongside the body and take time for reflection. As humans in order to fully restore and fully recharge, we need time to reflect and process what we’ve observed, learned and experienced. How are things connected with each other in our lives? Without making these connections, we can feel lost and unsettled, unable to rest.

These connections come when we are able to create Sabbath. A time of holy rest that is designed to fully restore us in mind, body and soul. How are you creating Sabbath? Are you hearing the rustling of nature calling you to rest as creation begins to take upon its own seasonal rest? Where are you finding rest in all areas of your life? What is restoring you? I look forward to hearing from you what “rest” looks like in your ever-changing world.