I overslept this morning. I wanted to get up early and pray, but it’s been a busy, taxing, exhausting week for me spirit, soul, and body, and I just couldn’t do it.
Some things have been pressing on my heart lately. Early o’clock this morning was my only shot at a chunk of time to pray, and I snoozed right through it.
I woke up to thoughts forming on the fringes of my mind. You know the ones.
“Selfish much?”
“And you call yourself a Christian. If you really loved God, you would have been up hours ago praying.”
“Couldn’t you even watch and pray an hour?”
Oh, the spirit was willing, but the flesh was bone-tired.
Just as even worse self-condemning thoughts were multiplying in my mind, God whispered the sweetest words to my soul.
“Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is rest.”
I was drained because of work I was doing for Him. Decorating the church. All the communication. Teaching. Visits. Planning an event. Ministering to people. Being a wife and mom and daughter. I did a week’s worth of work in two days, and I was toast.
Left to myself, I’m an evil taskmaster. I did so many good things, but the list of what I didn’t get done was tormenting my mind. I could not allow myself to stop.
Rest. It’s the first thing we cut out and the last thing we give ourselves permission do. I mean we’re called to give our lives away, right?
Yes, we are. But the same Bible that tells us to spend all and be spent for Him also says He gives His beloved sleep.
In I Kings 19 when Elijah was running for his life, exhausted and burnt out, God sent an angel of the Lord to minister to him and I love what he did.
Then he lay down and slept under the broom tree. But as he was sleeping, an angel touched him and told him, “Get up and eat!” 6 He looked around and there beside his head was some bread baked on hot stones and a jar of water! So he ate and drank and lay down again. (I Kings 19:5-6)
The angel didn’t rebuke him and send him back to fight a battle with Jezebel. He fed him and gave him something to drink and had him lie down and sleep.
Sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is rest. Relax. Unwind. Take a load off. Sleep. Rest is holy.
The peace those words contained was a salve to my weary soul. They reminded me of His love and care for me. That He’s a good Father not a mean ogre who just wants to use me until there’s nothing left and then demand more.
As we enter the most wonderful time of the year, which is by far the busiest most chaotic time of year, let this serve as our reminder.
As we lay our lives down for Him and for our families and for others, let’s not forget the sacredness of sitting at His feet and resting. Of breathing His presence in so we have something of Him to give out.
Do something spiritual today. Take a holy rest. I give you permission.