Holy rest

Ahhhhh---rest---sleep.   Speaking from a worn out body that has been through some really rough times these past few years, I am so grateful for the blessing of rest.  Let me tell you, I am the queen of naps, rest, downtime etc...you get the idea!  Every single day, this body spends anywhere from minimal to moderate time (or more) in the horizontal position.  There are times when I colllapse onto the couch or bed in hopes of a peaceful rest or sleep only to find that they both elude me.  Ugh. 

While my chronically exhausted body just doesn't have sustained stamina due to my health issues, my emotional and spiritual sides desire rest as well.  I call it Holy rest.  When I am calm and peaceful interiorly, then I am not as burdened or anxious about what may be happening exteriorly.  I feel many of us could benefit from this, too.  We all carry burdens of some sort, and we all get weary and need rest.  

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

Thankfully as I compose this blog entry today, I found both physical rest as well as Holy rest which, for me, means peace.  I spent most of the day up in my bed due to an unfortunate migraine that had to be dealt with, but I was able to quiet my inner self through relaxation, breathing, and prayer, and I even drifted off into a pain-free slumber eventually (with the help of meds, of course).  Instead of my usual "hissy fit" over the blasted migraine ruining my plans and all the mess that ensues, I just accepted it and dealt with it in a peaceful manner.  By surrendering and trusting that God will totally care for me, I can fall into this Holy rest.  Believe me, this is YEARS in the making, my friends.  God is gracing me with a better attitude and the virtue of patience.  

I find that most people feel that rest is only for the weak and that many feel guilty about pursing it and giving it a proper place in their lives.  Do you give yourself permission to FIND and ENJOY rest; or do you push yourself to the brink before you realize that you actually need it?  

My writing today will be a brief one as I am still fuzzy and very wiped out from both the migraine and my meds.  However, I invite you to pause and think about how you might arrive at some Holy rest in your life.  See what method works for you.  Maybe it is prayer, meditation, reading, knitting, painting, coloring, walking in a favorite quiet spot or even just observing and taking in Mother Nature's beauty for a little while longer.

Our Creator carefully formed us to have and enjoy rest.  It is so refreshing and necessary while we climb our different landscapes and enter into the next season of our lives.  Rest helps us gather a new perspective and, perhaps, gain a more positive outlook even in the midst of our tiring circumstances. 

As we search and find our inner peace and quiet, let's then see if we can offer a small part of that to those around us.  It could help soften the loud and busy world.