The present generation is in a race of working in pursuit of wealth, relevance, compatibility, fame, career etc and has excluded the rest from the system.
The system praises those who work and work without a moment of rest. And this act has given birth to competition for who works better without resting.
Some of the malfunction that happens in the body is as a result of a lack of proper diet and rest.
God Almighty being omniscient knowing everything (past, present and future) drafted out a rest system in his creation plan that He implemented after creation. He Rested. Genesis 2:2.
The resting of God after creation was not because He needed it rather, He was showing mankind the pattern of life. As you work, you must rest.
When we rest, we allow our bodies to recover from stress, renew the body for more activeness, refuel the intellectual capacity and we also boost our immune system.
God, who is our Creator, made the body in such a way that it must rest as it works.
To throw more light on the importance of rest, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to rest after they returned from work (evangelism). Infact, in His instructions to them, He specifically told them to go to a desert place to rest. Mark 6:32
We’ve seen instances according to the Scriptures the importance of rest and we agree that rest is a system planned out by God for man to experience and enjoy the best from it.
Aside from the physical benefits, there are also some other benefits derived from rest.
- Without rest, our spirits, minds and bodies cannot be revived, renewed and restored.
- Rest increases our productivity in our pursuit.
- During a rest moment, it’s a perfect time to meditate on God’s Word/promises that you’ve read or heard. Meditation on God’s Word is so powerful and it can bring to birth fruits. Meditation is like water that waters the seed(Word) and helps it germinate.
- In conclusion, the words of Priscilla Shirer resonated deeply with my soul. In her words “Rest is a place where grace flows, where the spirit refuels, and where mercy fixes what’s been strained and stressed by the accumulation of life’s pressure.”
The big questions;
- How is your spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, sensory, creative and social state after a time well rested?
- Do you feel revived, renewed, restored and strengthened after coming from a place called rest?
????Rest is not just the act of sleeping but also a time and place where we release stress, anxiety, regrets, shame, guilt, unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, hatred, and strife.
????Rest is a time and place where we reflect on our actions, reactions and words. It’s a time of self-examination.
????Rest is a time and place of investment. Yes! Investing valuable virtues and gifts to yourself. Where and when all of you( spiritual, physical, social, mental, emotional) are refuelled.
When next you need to rest, grab the opportunity and see it as a time of releasing, reflecting and refuelling.
Rest is an Investment. Use it wisely.
