“And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Genesis 2:3 NIV Research shows that the body interprets poor or lack of sleep as an additional stressor. This may lead to a rise in cortisol levels and metabolism slowing down - subsequently increasing the risk for weight gain.
I never really followed or took seriously the concept of Sabbath rest, until recently. If the Creator of the universe thought it important to rest and recuperate in-between working, what makes us as human beings think that we’re indestructible? As I once heard it explained: “God spent six days using His breath for creation, he used the seventh day to take a breath”. If we are designed in Gods image, then we are designed to have periods of rest. I am fascinated by how we will ensure that our electronic devices never run out of battery power, but we don’t enforce the same discipline in recharging our own ‘batteries’ regularly. Sabbath rest is not a gift we give God, it is a commandment and gift He has given us. It enables us to refresh, to be ready and focused for whatever lies ahead. Whilst transitioning from a lengthy period of rest, due to burn-out, I knew I could not approach life as I used to. Else I’d end up with the same result. So now I do as much as I can during the week, within particular time frames. For example: I stop working at a certain time daily, so that I don’t have 100 ‘thinking tabs’ open when I get to bed; I take a break or two during my work day (no working through my lunch break) and my Saturdays are flexible – split between tasks and pursuits. Sundays I do absolutely no work-related activities. I also don’t regale in any social media, so that my mind is resting too. Though challenging to implement at times, I cannot express enough how these lifestyle changes have positively impacted my start to a new week. How it has positively impacted my life as a whole! I’ve also learnt that great ideas and unimaginable creativity flow from a place of rest. Faith step: Reflect on ways you are able to incorporate more opportunities for rest in your life. If you feel any kind of guilt about resting (which so many of us tend to), pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you peace and direction in your intentional-rest choices.
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