Rest & Refreshment: Be Sure You’re Getting It

How many of you actually take time off. I don’t mean stopping at the end of the night to watch some TV. I mean intentionally take time to spend with your family or friends. I mean actually taking time to get rest and be refreshed…intentional, purposeful, and committed rest. Sounds a little harsh right? But does it really?

I used to go to Disney World with my husband, but it’s chaotic and crazy with people everywhere, not to mention the absolutely exorbitant and high prices. But the truth of the matter is that I rarely came back refreshed from my vacation. There was so much chaos, so many time constraints (making bus time, dinner reservations, play times, etc) that I rarely felt relaxed. Add on top of that the money, fees, and hidden costs of the trip … it was exhausting. My husband and I changed our routine and our lives and made different choices, and we are better people for it. We still love Disney; it’s where we went on our honeymoon when we got married and for our 10-year wedding anniversary. We will go back someday, perhaps.

Now, we vacation in State Parks near and around us. We go to the Lake Erie shorelines and have a marvelous time without crowds or packed places. We immerse ourselves in God’s abundant creation. We hike, beach comb, fish, read books, stay up late watching really old movies, and talk in lawn chairs for hours like it was our first date. It’s wonderful. We have so much fun doing this that we took the plunge this year and bought a very small, mini-camper so that we could enjoy this lifestyle even more; especially as my health declines. We can vacation our way.

Why does this matter? Because even in the hardships of life, we must find a way to experience rest, revival, and refreshment for our hearts and our souls. Proverbs 4:23, King Solomon writes, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Your heart is your most valuable possession. Both in the physical and emotional form. You only get one. It cannot be replaced. You must treasure, protect, and guard it … just as Solomon says. This means that we must do our best to take care of our physical bodies, the function of our heart, and our heart in the emotional and spiritual sense. How you do that is up to you, but it begins with rest and refreshment. These two things are things the world will steal from you quickly if you allow them to. Don’t. Carve out the neccessary time. You will be a better person to those around you, your family, and your community.

Be blessed today and find the rest and refreshment you deserve.