When the Lord sets the captives free, they are truly free. Free from condemnation, guilt, and shame. But remember, we cannot free ourselves; nothing can be done by self-effort. God holds the keys to our freedom, and when God says it is time to rest—REST!
Rest. We can't do anything unless we are well-rested. That burning desire to do something comes from the Holy Spirit; we can't set it alight ourselves. We may have the vision and want to spend all our time realizing that vision, but if you don’t have that drive within you, it is an indicator that you need to stop and slow down. Take a break. Take a rest day. We all need them.
Plan rest days in advance. It doesn’t have to be a rest from Jesus, but a rest from work and mental activity. Rest your body and do something healing for your body. Plan it and do it. How can you help other people if we are burnt out, unhealthy, or tired? We can't.
Make a plan—plan in rest days; we all need them. Don’t be tempted to reschedule them. Ink them in the diary like an important meeting. It’s really important that we rest. Rest is as important as work. We need to rest to work, to have the ability to work. We might think like the world thinks, that we don’t have time to rest, that rest isn’t important. But let the Lord be our guide. He created the world, and on the seventh day, He rested (Genesis 2:2). We are not gods; we need to rest as well. Learning to rest can be hard in a society that is becoming hardwired to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Turn off your phone if necessary, leave town, or go away from people who might unwittingly call on you. Tell people you are having a break, whatever is personal to your circumstance. Do what you need to do in order to take a break.
Prayer:
Lord, thank You for reminding us of the importance of rest. Help us to follow Your example and make time for rest so we can be restored and ready to serve. Teach us to prioritize our well-being and trust You to guide us in the rhythm of work and rest. We surrender our busy schedules to You and ask for wisdom to plan our rest days wisely. In Jesus' name, Amen.
"For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day." – Exodus 20:11
"Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made." – Genesis 2:2
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