I AM ALWAYS GOING, GOING, AND GOING.
MY DEFAULT IS TO WORK, PARENT, EAT,
HANG WITH FRIENDS, AND NEVER STOP.
BUT WHEN I FAIL TO SLOW DOWN,
WHAT HAPPENS IS I BEGIN TO OPERATE OUT OF A DEPLETED STATE.
AND WHEN I OPERATE OUT OF DEPLETED STATE,
I'M A SHELL OF WHO GOD CREATED ME TO BE.
ANXIETY STARTS TO WIN BATTLES IN MY MIND.
I'M MORE IRRITABLE TOWARDS MY WIFE.
LITTLE THINGS THAT AREN'T THAT BIG OF A DEAL SET ME OFF.
I'M LESS CREATIVE AND HAVE MORE OF A DIFFICULT TIME
WRITING SERMONS. I FEEL DISORIENTED.
MY DEFAULT IS JUST TO GO,
BUT JESUS MODELED FOR ME AND FOR YOU A DIFFERENT WAY.
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN THROUGHOUT THE GOSPELS
JESUS GETS AWAY, GETS ALONE, TO REST AND PRAY.
AND IN MATTHEW 14,
JESUS PERFORMS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS MIRACLES,
FEEDING THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
WITH FIVE LOAVES OF BREAD AND TWO FISH,
AND RIGHT AFTER THIS MIRACLE JESUS SENDS HIS DISCIPLES AWAY
IN A BOAT TO CROSS THE LAKE, AND MATTHEW TELLS US THAT
JESUS GOES UP ON A MOUNTAINSIDE BY HIMSELF TO PRAY.
AFTER EMPTYING HIS CUP
BY PERFORMING THIS INCREDIBLE MIRACLE,
HE GOES TO SPEND TIME WITH THE FATHER
TO REPLENISH AND TO REFILL.
NOW, THIS IS JESUS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!
HE WAS GOD! IF HE NEEDED THIS, IF HE DID THIS,
WHO ARE WE TO THINK THAT
WE CAN GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING DIFFERENT?
SO I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU
A LITTLE OF WHAT THOSE MOMENTS OF REST LOOK LIKE FOR ME.
I MADE UP THIS ACRONYM FOR REST THAT HELPS ME TO REMEMBER
AND I WANTED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU
IN HOPES THAT IT MIGHT HELP YOU, TOO.
R.E.S.T.
RELEASE THE TOXIC, ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS,
SEEK SOLITUDE, AND TAKE YOUR TIME. REST.
RELEASE THE TOXIC.
WE CARRY AROUND TOXIC EMOTIONS
AND UNHEALTHY THINKING INTO EVERY DAY.
BY WAY OF RENEWING OUR MINDS TO TRUTH,
WE HAVE TO RELEASE THE TOXIC.
I WANT YOU TO PRACTICE BREATHING.
LITERALLY ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL THE BREATH
GOING IN AND OUT OF YOUR LUNGS
AS YOU SIT IN SILENCE WITH YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER.
AND AS YOU DO, I WANT YOU TO IMAGINE YOURSELF
LITERALLY LETTING GO OF THE STRIVING.
IMAGINE YOURSELF RELEASING THE FEAR.
IMAGINE YOURSELF TAKING THE ANGER
AND THROWING IT OUT OF YOUR MIND,
RELEASING THE PRIDE, THE INSECURITY.
AND AS YOU RELEASE THE TOXIC,
ASK YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER TO REPLACE THE TOXIC WITH TRUTH.
ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS.
DISCONNECT TO RECONNECT.
PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY,
OR AT LEAST SWITCH IT TO "DO NO DISTURB".
PUT YOUR LAPTOP AWAY. TURN THE TV OFF.
IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT TO HEAR GOD SPEAK TO YOUR HEART
AND HAVE JESUS REPLENISH YOUR SOUL IF YOU'RE DISTRACTED.
SEEK SOLITUDE.
MY PARENTS OF LITTLE ONES ARE IMMEDIATELY THINKING,
"YEAH, RIGHT!" I GET IT.
I'VE GOT A THREE-YEAR-OLD
AND A ONE AND A HALF-YEAR-OLD, AND ONE ON THE WAY.
IT'S HARD, BUT IT'S NOT IMPOSSIBLE.
WAKE UP BEFORE THE KIDS DO,
OR TAKE SOME TIME AFTER THEY GO DOWN FOR THE NIGHT.
IF YOU LIVE WITH ROOMMATES,
MAYBE YOU NEED TO GET TO STARBUCKS
AND PUT YOUR AIRPODS IN.
MAYBE YOU NEED TO GET OUT
AND GO ON A WALK AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
GET ALONE SO THAT YOU'RE NOT WORRIED ABOUT ANY OTHER HUMAN
AND CREATE SPACE FOR JESUS TO SPEAK TO YOUR HEART.
WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU HEAR, WHAT YOU'RE THINKING,
AND WHAT YOU'RE FEELING.
AND THEN TAKE YOUR TIME.
THIS ONE IS HUGE. DON'T RUSH.
DON'T LET YOUR SOUL BE IN A HURRY TO GET THROUGH THIS,
DEFEATS THE WHOLE PURPOSE!
FIND TIME IN YOUR DAY AND WEEK
TO CARVE OUT 15, 30 MINUTES, AN HOUR IF YOU CAN,
WHEREVER YOU CAN, TO TAKE YOUR TIME TO PRAY,
READ THE SCRIPTURES, AND LET GOD REPLENISH YOUR SOUL.
R.E.S.T. REST.
RELEASE THE TOXIC, ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS,
SEEK SOLITUDE, AND TAKE YOUR TIME.
IT'S WHAT I TRY AND DO.
AND MAYBE YOU CAN GIVE IT A SHOT THIS WEEK.
I HOPE YOU FIND IT HELPFUL.