My head hurts and I think a cold is starting to settle in. Actually, it could just be allergies getting the best of me as they tend to do. I went allergy free for a few weeks which was a miracle, but they’re back. Darn it.
I’m sitting here wondering what to write. How to say what I want to say. In the background Young Oceans plays through my headphones. If I let them, tears would start streaming too. It’s been an emotional few weeks and this one was no joke. Up and down and all over the place. Kind of like me at times. Feeling wonderfully optimistic then fighting the pessimism with staunchness as I face both ends of life in different ways.
For three weeks I’ve written a blog post a day – plus. I’ve also managed to write guest posts, newsletters, and attempts towards my first book. It’s all been great practice which I’ve needed and I’m grateful for it. In fact, this write 31 day challenge has been a challenge I needed each year I’ve done it. I’ve felt my writing improve, my voice get clearer, and my confidence stronger.
But, I’m tired. I still have a lot to do in order to get Unleash: Heart & Soul Care sheets released (shooting for Nov 1), blog posts to write, and a proposal to work on.
Feel feel free to pray for me in this. You’re such a wonderful source of encouragement when you do!
In all my talking, writing, and a wide range of reading (scripture, Dead Man’s Folly by Agatha Christie, Justified by Varina Denman, and an advanced reader copy of The Broken Way by Ann Voskamp) I need to find the quiet. I need to hush the inner noise and the outer noise so I can find rest in body and soul.
As you read this, I will be choosing to rest from all the weekly duties and finding time with God as well as revival for my spirit. It’s the way I celebrate Sabbath.
This last week, I had the pleasure of meeting Shelly Miller (a fellow GraceTable contributor & author of Rhythms of Rest). I listened to her share about how her life has changed through partaking in Sabbath as a celebration of our Lord and not as a legalistic time of nothingness. She said something about Sabbath which reframed how I’ll look at it now.
Rather than the Sabbath being a day of rest in order to re-energize for the week, the whole week points to the Sabbath and the Lord of it. Our whole week culminates to a time of reflection and rest.
Could a mind and body find this kind of rest as a celebratory event when the to-do list is a mile long and the pressures of the next week wait for us?
Yes. Indeed, it must. We were never meant to run on fumes with the expectation of doing more than God created us to do. Rather, we were meant to find delight in the one who delights in us.
Our to do lists continue to grow, but is our faith growing as well? If we want to find delight in God, we need to find delight in the Sabbath.
The good news is, we can begin to practice Sabbath delight in moments. We can try it one week, and try again the next. We can incorporate longer periods and new ways of looking forward to this day and the way our hearts become closer to God who loves us.
We don’t have to get it perfect, we just need to look to the one who is perfect.
Rest looks different for each of us and the way we rest may vary from season to season. But rest is essential if we want to find the presence of God in our daily lives. As we do, we not only find him, we learn to enjoy him more.
Even if it’s one increment of time and one change of activity today, choose rest.
CULTIVATE: What’s one way you could set aside time once a week to cultivate a Sabbath rhythm of rest? If you do already, what does it look like for you?
