The average person used to sleep 11 hours a night before the lightbulb. They really believed with the invention of the computer that people would be able to only work 3 days a week, yet now we are one of the most over-worked generations yet.
Our bodies need rest. It’s how God created us!
Psalm 127:2 “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Mark 6:31 “And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.”
Genesis 2:2-3 “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”
Rest rejuvenates your body and mind, regulates your mood, and is linked to learning and memory function. On the other hand, not getting enough rest can negatively affect your mood, immune system, memory, and stress level. Running on 5 hours of sleep might work for a season, but it will eventually catch up and can cause numerous amounts of health issues.
Committing to rest is not just about the sabbath. It’s accepting a lifestyle of the sabbath. It’s choosing to rest so that we don’t get burnt – out, rather than waiting until we are and then burning out.
Jesus rested BEFORE he was tired. We don’t sleep because we are exhausted. We sleep so we don’t get exhausted.
It is possible to do big things for God and pursue your dreams and not sacrifice your own health and soul on the altar.
It might look like saying no, pulling back, and fighting for rest even when you feel you could be doing more work, but God intended for our bodies to have rest for a purpose.
Look at the garden of Eden. Jesus walked with them in the morning and evening. This is what this series is all about. Bookending your day so that everything flows together and we are taking time to invest in the things that matter most. We take back the wheel and live by purpose, rather than just letting life happen.
Here are 3 rest goals:
1. Aim for at least 7-9 hours of sleep
2. Take at least 1 day off without any form of work
3. Create a pattern of rest by taking moments to step away and be with Jesus when the day gets overwhelming
Missed last week’s post? Click here to read more in the Life Margin Series!
Sign up to receive my posts via email and get a FREE copy of The Five Enemies of Growth!
