Simple Is Better – I Will Give You Rest

on July 1, 2024

Simple Is Better – I Will Give You Rest

Gratitude Day 891

Matthew 11:28: (Jesus said),“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

It was a warm sunny day. I had taken a couple of grandkids and a friend to a nearby lake. We agreed upon a time when we would leave the lake.

The kids had a great time. They found friends to hang out with. The water was a great temperature. It was hard to leave the lake when it was time.

As we drove back to town, our grandson said to me, “Why couldn’t we stay longer? We were having so much fun!”

Yes, they were. Yes, it would have been great to stay longer. Unfortunately, I’m not on summer break. There were things I needed to squeeze in before going to a softball game that evening.

I just didn’t feel I had the opportunity to rest longer at the lake.

Rest. We often think of rest as a nap or sleeping. But rest can also slow down. Taking a break. Giving your brain an opportunity to think about something else for a bit before diving back into the most important things at the time.

I feel one of the most challenging things to do is to allow myself adequate rest. I think rest for other people is just fine. But for myself? Well, that’s a whole different story.

Yet, Jesus’ words were very clear. “Come to me … I’ll give you rest.”

Really? How can Jesus give us rest? Is he going to take over a bunch of my work and make things easier? Maybe and maybe not. But there are ways Jesus can give us a break.

Jesus can:

Encourage us to find the best things we are at and let some of those other things we aren’t so good at go.
Determine that we have a purpose and help us select the “work” that will make a difference in this world.
Mentally and emotionally, help us see that spending time taking a break isn’t so bad. In fact, we will discover that breaks ARE good because we will come back more refreshed and focused.
Help us remember that the little things are the good things.
And a whole bunch of other things.

What I am encouraging myself these days is to redefine “rest” and make it work in my daily life. Rest doesn’t have to be a lot of time. It can be short and efficient and make a difference. Here are a few suggestions of how you can build a bit of rest into your day:

When you are frustrated, literally walk away for a period of time. It can be a few minutes, or longer. After you’ve walked away, throw a load of laundry in. Get something to drink. Answer a text. Get something to drink. All of these things. Then, go back, with a new sense of patience.
Literally, take a few deep breaths. Breath in for three counts, hold it for three counts, release it for three counts. Repeat this cycle for several times. Amazingly, you WILL feel more relaxed.
Exercise. For most people, exercise releases some great endorphins. If you feel stuck with something, even a 10-minute walk can give you mind a break. You might be amazed how this little break will change your perspective.
Share what you are doing with a friend. They might be able to see something you aren’t able to.
Lower your expectations of what you can get done is a not. Learn to say the word, “No.” is a complete sentence.

Too often, when we are overwhelmed or feeling a bit of stress, we try to plow through the situation on our own. While this can work, a bit of rest can actually help us produce better work. Yet, that’s right.

What if you are feeling like you are managing things OK? How do you handle rest?

Make sure it continues to be a priority.
Allow yourself space to offload challenges quickly.
Continue to determine what kinds of rest work best for you.

While a lot has been written on this topic, let’s be honest. We might be very good consumers of helpful information about working rest into our days. But application? Often this is where we struggle.

Begin by getting real about finding rest. Maybe it starts with finding just a few minutes at the beginning to center your day with a quick prayer. Plan your rest, just like you would another appointment. And KEEP that appointment. And then, throughout the day, give yourself permission to follow a quick rest practice which will sustain for most of the day.

There isn’t one quick and easy answer about rest. In fact, it often takes a commitment to build this into your day.

Jesus reminds us that we don’t have to be alone when it comes to rest. In fact, Jesus encourages to take a break. Appreciate the beautiful flowers. Celebrate the tiniest wins in your daily life. Give yourself grace when you weren’t able to execute well and high-five yourself when rest did become part of your day.

“I will give you rest.” These are Jesus’ words. Sometimes, we just need a break. If we come to Jesus and sit as he feet, we can feel rest and relaxed. Jesus is good at this. Really good at this. I’m confident he can teach us a thing or two above rest. Will you join me in learning more about rest?

I am grateful that you are eager for me to discover how to implement love and grace into life.

Blessings –

Dianne

Holy God – thank you for the gift of rest. Place it upon our hearts and souls ways we can embrace more rest in our lives. May we see rest as life giving and important. Amen.

Here are a few more blogs encouraging rest.

Feeling Stuck? Maybe It’s Time For A Reset by Sharla Hallett

https://sharlahallett.com/feeling-stuck-maybe-its-time-for-a-reset

Reset Your Brain by Ashley Olivine

https://ashleyolivine.com/reset-your-brain