Matthew 11:28,  “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

As much as God wants to empower you to do all that you are called to do He also wants to give you rest.  Rest is very important to God.  It is mentioned over and over in the Bible.  That was the purpose of the Sabbath, to require rest.  Jesus told his disciples to get away so they could rest.  Rest is very important and should not be taken lightly.

It’s easy to get caught up in everything that needs to be done until you are going constantly at breakneck speed trying to get it all done.  That is not the will of God for you!  He wants balance in your life.  He wants you to be able to enjoy rest.  That is one of the reasons that when we are deciding on someplace to vacation I like going to my sister Jean’s or up to Mackinaw Island because I can get away and rest instead of going constantly until I need a vacation from the vacation.  I need some time to relax and reset and isn’t that what vacation is supposed to be about?

It’s amazing how many parents are stressed to the hilt because they have so many activities scheduled for their children, even toddlers, that by the time they are finished at work, running constantly to attend all of the practices for activities or sports they are involved in until they drop into bed each day wondering how they will do it tomorrow.  It’s ok to slow down.  It’s ok if every single moment of every day isn’t full of activities.  It’s okay, and necessary for their health, to set a bedtime for your children even when they don’t have school the next day. Children need sleep so they can grow and fight illness, and a schedule will help them get the rest they need. It’s okay to limit the stimulation of activities so they can figure out how to entertain themselves or use their imagination.  Quiet time is good for all of us at every age.

I would like to encourage you to take some time today to evaluate your schedule.  Do you have time for rest?  Does your family have time to just relax and enjoy downtime?  Your body needs rest.  Your mind needs rest and your emotions will fare better if you get rest.  It’s even easier to lose weight if you get the rest you need.  Rest is important to God for a reason and if it is important enough for Him to require a Sabbath (day of rest) in the Bible then we need to take it seriously too.  Rest is not something we should feel guilty about it is something that we need to take seriously enough to schedule into our lives.  Take the time to rest in Him and allow Him to refresh your body, soul, and mind so you can be all He created you to be.

Quote:  “It’s in the struggle itself that you define yourself.”  ~ Pat Buchanan