Have you ever thought of rest as being in four parts? Each part is dependent on the others to give us the well-being and strength we need for each new day and challenge. Consider how you are scoring in the amount of rest you get in each of the four categories as you read. Then work on ways you can acquire this needed resource whether it is getting some of the busyness from your life or other ways. Let's begin:
Physical Rest
We all know we should get a certain amount of rest for our bodies but we try to fudge and push the envelope to do a little more each day. We know the amount of sleep we need to feel our best but other things encroach sometimes that keep us from doing what we should.
Mental Rest
Worry and the busyness of life rob us of the mental rest we need. There is so much to think about and it seems it all comes to our minds when we are trying to sleep. Jesus addressed this when he talked about how God takes care of the natural world around us and then he said, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and then all these other things will be given to you." If we choose to make God our first priority in life, then the rest of what we need will fall into the perspective where it belongs. It all boils down to trust. How much do you trust God with your everyday life?
Emotional Rest
Our emotions take a beating in this world. When our relationships are sour or dissolving, when those we love are ill or dying, and a host of other reasons. It just wears away at our energy and well-being with so much going on all the time. That is why forgiveness is so hard for us, because our emotions are involved and when something happens they are wounded and take time to heal. We can carry this hurt around with us the rest of our lives or we can come to God and let God help us with this. Without His help life can get a lot worse than it is now. He is available to us but we don't always want His help.
Spiritual Rest
Are you still searching spiritually? If so, then you will likely be restless in other areas of your life as well as the spiritual part. Jesus said, "Come to Me, all of you who are heavy-laden and I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28) The word rest implies this state for your total being, not just one area as we often associate it. Here are two questions to help you define what you are seeking: 1) what are you seeking and 2) why are you dissatisfied with what you have already found?
Do you feel guilty when you rest, like you don't deserve it because there is so much to do. One reason God instituted the idea of rest is to recharge our 'batteries'. The other is so we will be ready for the challenges ahead. Think about the last time you stayed up late for whatever reason and then tried to think clearly and function the next day. Rest in every form is important for us but not everyone believes this. Look at these four areas of your life and assess your need for rest in them. You will be a much happier person if you will take the measures needed to bring about that rest that is suggested here.
Read more articles by Dan Langerock or search for articles on the same topic or others.
I see "Author requests a critique"; so, here goes - why is there no mention in the "Spirtual Rest" Section of the Sabbath Day rest that God gave us to mark His Creation? I ALWAYS think of the Sabbath Day as the day God rested from His creation duties: and the Bible mentions THIS "rest" so many times. I was surprised it wasn't mentioned. And, since this is the 7th Day, I am resting while reading beautiful thoughts of God, from Christian co-writers like you...and I appreciated your article.
