How to Find Rest for the Weary

It has been almost 3 months since I got married and I am quickly learning a lot about myself, my husband, and God. One of the many things that I am finding to be difficult for me is to rest. Between being involved in our church, spending time with both of our families and friends, we are constantly on the go. I even find myself filling my weekends with to do lists, errands, and social events, but by Sunday night, I am exhausted.

I began to notice my change of attitude that accompanied my tiredness. I was more irritable, didn’t have as much patience for my husband, and most importantly I was focusing on my lists and what I needed to accomplish rather than focusing my attention on God. It finally clicked and I saw the need for a change. So, I began to be more intentional about carving time out to rest and enjoy God.

If our tank is constantly empty, we have nothing left to give to others and we are not enjoying what God is giving us. We must allow ourselves to be recharged and poured into, so that in turn we can pour out into our families, our friends, and our businesses.

So, how do we rest? What are some practical things we can do to make sure we aren’t burning out?  

• Be intentional with your time with The Lord. Whether it is through prayer, a quiet time, or worship. Bring your burdens, worries, praises, and requests to the Lord and allow Him to restore you.

• Create time for a hobby that is relaxing to you. It may be fishing, reading a book, painting, or even cleaning your house. Do something that you enjoy, but be careful to not let it become stressful.

• Being constantly plugged in to social media, the news, and emails is not restful for most. Some of the most freeing and restful time for me is when I unplug from my phone for a little while. 

Rest is a necessity.

In today’s society, we constantly have information being thrown at us that we are processing. Our culture has become so fast-paced, and promotes a “you can do it all” mentality. When in reality, our dependency should not be on ourselves, but on God. We need God to restore us.

As I look ahead to the next few months, I can already see the busyness looming in the distance. My weekends will soon be filled with watching LSU and Saints football, which let’s be honest, usually contributes to more weariness rather than rest. Not too far behind that is holiday season, which speaks for itself. In the midst of the busyness that is now and that seems to be on the horizon, I am going to be intentional about resting and spending time with the Lord. I want to encourage you to do so as well.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.