Today I took a 3-1/2 hour nap. I didn’t really have time for that. I had three blog posts to write for different sites. There are literally no clean towels in my house. The dishes from supper last night are still in the sink.
But I was exhausted. I need about eight hours of sleep per night. I’ve accepted this about myself. I don’t function well when I don’t get at least seven hours of sleep every night. And this week has been crazy. Between away games and church and early morning appointments and just life … I’ve gotten about six hours of sleep every night. Now I know some of you would be thrilled with six hours of sleep. I get that. I’ve been there! But today, I couldn’t put two coherent thoughts together. And I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
So I gave myself permission to rest. Knowing the blog posts would still have to be written. The laundry would still need doing. And the dishes would still be waiting.
The thing is, when we don’t get enough rest, it affects everything else. We know this … but we still fail to make rest a priority. Maybe you don’t need a long nap like I did. Maybe you just need to rest your mind or your heart. Do it! Give yourself permission to rest from the chaos, to take that walk around the block to clear your heart, to sit still with your Bible and rest your heart, or even to take a nap to rest your body. It’s okay!
Yes, all the “stuff” will still be there. But your attitude about doing it will be changed. Your perspective will be renewed. It’s okay to rest — body, mind, and soul. I promise!
Be honest, do you struggle to give yourself permission to rest? What keeps you from prioritizing rest?
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Resource Recommendations {affiliate links}:
- 24/6: A Prescription for a Healthier, Happier Life
{a great book by Matthew Sleeth}
- The Rest of God: Restoring Your Soul by Restoring Sabbath
{my favorite book on Sabbath by Mark Buchanan}
- SLOW: Understanding Biblical Rest {a blog series I wrote in 2011}
I hope you are finding this series encouraging and useful. If you haven’t go ahead and subscribe to make sure you receive each day’s post in your inbox. See you tomorrow!
Oh and all my 31 Days of Living Well posts will indexed here. Just in case you want to bookmark that page for easy reference.
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