Divine Rest

In my last post, we talked about water as a foundational element for our health. The next pillar in Dr. Colbert’s book The Seven Pillars of Health is sleep. Did you know that when you sleep, your body is repairing and recharging itself? It’s amazing that even though we are physically shutting ourselves off from the rest of the world, our bodies are being incredibly productive. Your body needs that time of sleep and rest so that you can be capable of full mental and physical productivity while you are awake! Sleeping is the responsible thing to do – and all the tired people of the world rejoice!

If you are like me and have issues falling or staying asleep, Dr. Colbert offers a lot of helpful advice. Regular exercise (at least two or three hours before bedtime), natural supplements, a good mattress, a comfortable and dark room, and a consistent bedtime routine are examples. Some of those things help me (like a good mattress) but some don’t (the consistent bedtime routine), so it’s important to try them out and discover what works for you. I’m still trying out different ideas and praying that I will fall asleep quickly and sleep well.

Physical sleep restores your body so that it works at its maximum capacity, and inner rest restores your spirit and soul. Life is hard, and we are busy people. The stress of life takes its toll – and it’s almost always negative. In Matthew 11:28 - 30, Jesus said, “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.”

When I read that verse at the beginning of 2010, it stirred a longing within me. I just wanted to be at rest. I was tired of this constant feeling of heaviness and pressure – like I should always be doing more. It became the basis for my new year’s goals for that year, and I sensed God calling me to simplify my life. I was half-engaged in a long list of activities, and I needed to finish them and let them go. So I did. I cut ties with a direct selling business and paid off the debt associated with it. I finished a book study with two wonderful high-school seniors who were preparing for college and completed the assignments for an experimental writing group.

I finished all the items on my list. Then God led me to start my graduate degree in journalism at Regent University. If I hadn’t let go of those other activities, there’s no way I would have the time to devote to school. I’m not spread out thin, involved in a wide variety of “good” things. My focus is simple but powerful.

What God calls us to do, He enables us to do. He called me to start school again (that’s a miracle story in and of itself), and He has given me the power and grace to do it thus far. AND it’s been enjoyable. I have to constantly evaluate my priorities, though, and ask God if He is calling me to do them. If you are struggling to do something, and you feel weary and drained of joy, you might want to evaluate your involvement. I realized no one person can do everything, so I determined to stop trying. Find the things God has gifted and called you to do, and then do them with excellence.

Come to Christ. Take up His yoke and find rest. Involve yourself in the activities He leads you to, and let go of the rest. You aren’t meant to live as a strained individual, but a joyful one. Rest is crucial to mental and physical restoration, so make it a priority!

“Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.”                                                                      Psalm 127:1-2