September Slow Down

 

On the seventh day…God rested. ~ Genesis 2:4

 

What images come into your mind when you think of “rest”?  Maybe lounging on a beach with a book in your hand or hanging out in a hammock?  Rest can be hiking, talking to a friend, or taking a cooking class.  Rest is not only stopping physical movement and forcing yourself to sit down in a chair, although that is needed.  There are many forms of rest, but we tend to think primarily of the physical expression of this word.  We live in a hustle and bustle culture that worships at the altar of busyness.  We want to be needed and necessary, filling our calendars each day until we fall exhausted into bed.  When this doesn’t happen (either because we are unable to physically keep on keeping on or because we struggle to find expressions for our energy), we can tend to judge ourselves or call ourselves names we would never speak aloud to a friend.  We base our worth not on being God’s beloved, but on what we tick off our to-do list.  We are addicted to our own busyness.  Recent research reveals we need seven forms of rest.  These include:

 

Physical ~ this need not be seen as passive or sleeping.  You can physically rest while doing light yoga and stretching can help our bodies unwind the tension we all carry.

 

Mental ~ we consume more information than any previous generation, and our minds suffer from overload.  I am surprised that smoke doesn’t billow out of our ears.

 

Sensory ~ we live in a noisy world with dinging notifications on your phone with its bright screen.  We need to step away and find a sacred silence.

 

Creative ~ we stop trying to come up with clever ideas or brilliant insights, rather, we receive.  To rest creatively is to cease believing the lie that it is better to give than receive; instead, open your hands to the Creator’s offering and presence.

 

Emotional ~ we live in a culture that fans the flames of outrage, and we race around believing that only we can prevent forest fires.  Emotional rest is slowing down long enough to listen to your heart and pay attention to what is stirring in there.

 

Social ~ there is a difference between solitude and loneliness.  Solitude is the decision to be by yourself; loneliness is when you crave companionship and can’t find it.  We need moments to be with ourselves, away from others. 

 

Spiritual ~ to breathe and be held by your belovedness in God.  This can include rest from prayer practices, especially if you find yourself going through the motions.

 

Did any of the above surprise you?  Did any stand out to you as a form of rest you need?  How may you schedule your calendar and practice one of the above forms of rest this week?  Don’t worry if you don’t have a whole list of ideas; we will keep coming back to these forms of rest this week.  May God, who blessed rest in all its fullness, bless you today with ways to breathe and be.  Amen.