Rest may very well be the most strategic thing to do if we have a busy, full and demanding life.
If we do not practice a habit of a restful life, we will end up with serious illness, exhaustion, bad attitudes and fist-shaking faith aimed heavenward. As I have said before, one of my most useful memory verses is, "Fretting leads only to evil doing." (Reflection of Psalm 37:8!)
God put Sabbath rest into the weeks of our lives with a purpose. It is not just a Sunday thing--it is a principle of stopping when life has drained us too much.
I have found that when I believe and engage my heart in the goodness of God's character, and place into the file drawers of heaven all that I am carrying and worrying about, including the lists of all that I have to do, I begin to find peace.
When I find myself depleted, I stop and take stock of what is going on in my life. I simplify my schedule and plan a snack-style dinner, maybe crackers and cheese or fruit and toast, and break out the paper plates. I take a day off from regular commitments and plan to be still. The next day, I again put away normal commitments in order to attack the demanding tasks that are increasing my burden. But into that day, I also plan simple pleasures--making time for several coffees or cups of tea, having a nap, watching a show, or reading a magazine--which gives the little break I know I need.
When my children were little, on these burned-out days I would do whatever would free me for just a bit. Bubbles would be brought out, or a long bath with new bath toys, a Winnie the Pooh cartoon, a trip to the frozen yogurt cafe, or a quick jaunt to the park or playground. I crafted a way I might have a break from the children’s banter and demands.
Refueling just a little to find joy, create pleasure and celebrate life in the midst of all the demands helps fill my heart up just enough to begin seeing light at the end of my tunnel. Slowly, I would begin to see the miracles bubbling up ... slowly, surely; He, my Father, delights to provide when I take time to breathe, listen, and rest from the daily grind.
A Martha heart, frenetically busy, won't see the miracles of God, as she is so busy living in the whirlwind of her own making and subsisting in her own meek provisions that she loses all hope and becomes a wretched nag.
The more exhausted I am with life, the more tense, grumpy and tight I become—and eventually, it spills all over everyone else.
Yet, from so many times like this in the past, I have learned a secret. My Prince Jesus comes to me at just the right time. Like the story of Sleeping Beauty, the prince comes not when she is searching the horizon, pounding her fists, running the floor,
But the prince comes when the princess is asleep, and doing nothing but resting.
Resting in Him, choosing peace, putting off responsibilities, and recreating can be such grand medicine for my soul, that after choosing to rest and to invest in fun and love and ease of life, my strength is renewed and all life's issues can be faced with grace.
I know duty is bound to come, but I will face it with courage tomorrow if I rest today, when my body demands it.
And so my plan for today is to go back to bed, to pace leisurely, to sip and really taste my coffee, to call Clay at the office just to say "hi"--and remember that he is also tired; to focus on the beauty around me; to stay in comfy clothes all day-- listen to music, watch a fun movie, read and pray--and then maybe to rest again, tomorrow, because I know that while I am resting, my Prince is already coming to my rescue, because He has my back covered.
Peace, be still, the Lord is near.