Rest.

So, last night I experienced a bit of a breakdown.  I started out on a walk with my mom, which inevitably always leads to some sort of spiritual revelation.  Something about being outside in an unconfined space relieves me from the pressure of life and the exhaustion of distractions.  And something about spending time with my mom stirs up my true feelings on things too.  So you can imagine that the combination of the two can sometimes lead to some dramatic releases for me.  What can I say, I am fully girl.

Without rehashing all the unnecessary details of my evening, I'll share with you the central truth that the Lord really laid on my heart last night.  Are you ready?

Here it is...

Rest.

Child, rest.  Let go and rest.

I know it may not seem so profound to you, and at times it doesn't seem as such to me either.  But last night, it was exactly what I needed to hear.  Lately I've allowed my mind and my spirit to become so overwhelmed with everything that I have to do that I haven't allowed any part of me to really rest.  Now I'm not talking about sleeping.  Or napping.  I'm talking about resting.  I'm not good at it and because of that, it's difficult for me to define and explain.  But here is what I've learned even in the last 18 hours:

Rest is not selfish.  In fact, rest is vital to a properly working spirit.

Rest intensifies my relationship with the Lord.  I can't rest and hold on to everything that I've got to do and everything that's "mine."  Resting, for me, requires trust.  Trust that God can handle everything while I take a break and let go of my worries.  Trusting God at a deeper level like that inevitably grows and strengthens my bond with Him.

Rest is one of God's desires for me.  He doesn't call us to be overworked and under cared for.  Rest ought to be part of our spiritual regimen, just like sleep is part of our physical routine.

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  Matthew 11:28

This looks like a good mental picture of rest, I think.

I need to learn to make rest a part of my daily life.  My soul craves it.  What about you?  How are you resting?