How Do We Rest?

How Do We Rest? We rest our bodies to have the strength and stamina for the physical demands that come our way. We sleep, exercise, get fresh air, and eat well so our bodies can equal the task(s) ahead. We can rest our minds in preparation not by vegging out on our favorite shows (although there’s a time for that) but by reading, broadly and widely. Use your mind in ways that you don’t during work: crossword puzzles and sudoku, creative writing, and playing music.  Allow your imagination to be stirred so that your creativity is renewed. Rest your mind so that you can think clearly, cleverly, and quickly. We rest our souls to renew our spirits and emotions. Engage in your favorite hobbies: trying new recipes, knitting, camping, fishing, traveling, site-seeing, adventure sports, backyard barbeques, reading, puzzles. Whatever refreshes you with joy and appreciation for all of God’s good gifts. Allow your emotions to heal from what happened in the past and to rejuvenate you so your well is deep, and you can weep with those who weep, and rejoice with those who rejoice. Remember: even though our work isn’t done, rest isn’t simply the culmination of or recovery from a job completed. We also rest in preparation for the work to come, and by learning to trust the God who has placed us where we are. I pray our minds, bodies, and souls will be replenished and revived, as we learn to rest in God.