How often have you heard your doctor say, “You need to rest!” or your boss state, “Relax, maybe you need some time away.” Though these are not statements we often like to hear or feel obliged to act upon, there is truth in the words. Our world is full of stress and stressors, and so often we ignore them until our bodies tell us we must stop. Yet if we follow the actions of Jesus, we know that we need time to rest, relax and reenergize. Jesus was known for moving away from the crowds in order to rest awhile (Mark 6:31). In following Jesus’ lead, we too need time to move away and rest, for our sake and for the sake of all.
The following activities will help with finding ways to rest and relax in order to be reenergized and fully renewed.
· Begin by taking the Relaxation Survey to find out how you best rest and relax, whether it be through visualization, muscle, sensory or creative techniques.
· Start your day off with a CMF Daily Reflection about the importance of rest.
· Does God speak to you about taking time to pause and rest? Lesli White discusses this in 5 Signs God is Telling You to Pause.
· What is the difference between rest and relaxation? What happens when we don’t get enough of either? In Rest vs. Relaxation, Chelsea Knight talks about the difference between the two, and the negative effects when we don’t take time for rest and relaxation.