Where do you find rest? How do you find it? Are there different types of rest? Do we ever think about the 4th commandment anymore? How do you Sabbath? Is church restful to you and to your heart? Where do you find the Lord? When do you stop being creative and truly let your guard down? Does it involve other people or do you need to be alone?
I had the privilege of speaking at a conference on this stuff, but I am really curious still. Plus, blogging seems to work better when a question is asked. Maybe this works like the book recommendations: when someone wants one they will ask. Same thing with my little philosophical/sermon-like musings... if someone wants them they will ask... So, tell me how often, how, why, and how much you like resting.
8 comments:
AAAAAAAGHGH! I didn't even read the post. The picture says it all. I'm so jealous.
Whenever I try to rest, I get sidetracked. It seems like whenever I sit down to read my Bible, I remember something I forgot to tell Matt, or I see my credit card bill and stop to write a check, or I get up to make some hot chocolate and never come back. The best resting for me comes after I've worked hard... like if I go out and run hard, and then come back home and collapse in a big heap on the couch. If I do that, I could just stare at a wall for an hour and be fine... just BEING. Unfortunately, I screwed up my knee really badly so it looks like I'll be battling hot chocolate distractions for awhile.
i can rest at the drop of a hat, but that's not what you're asking. Real rest, the kind that means something, is harder for me. Getting my soul to rest takes me almost an entire day when there is nothing that I HAVE to do. (I'm pretty anti things that I HAVE to do). After wasting an entire day being unproductive (and some people really make productivity equal worth. I think productivity is a good thing, but not what constitutes our value) I can usually, by the second day, get away from everything and sit with myself.
Which ends up being me sitting with the Lord.
And that is restful to my soul. It is really the only thing that is consistantly restful to my soul. It rejuvinates me, reminds me of things that I know but have forgotten or lost focus on. On that second, reflective day, I'll usually read something, Christian or non-Christian, and somehow it too will bring me back to the Lord.
It's hard for me to rest in moments each day. I usually can't do something unless I'm going to do it right. I can't buy Christmas presents unless I know they'll be exactly what the person wants. And I can't just rest for 15 minutes. If I'm going to get to the level of my soul it's going to take a while.
Life often forces me to that place, because I need perspective and I need to hear from Jesus. But sometimes I glide through life, and the rest doesn't seem imperative.
I know that's backwards and wrong, but we're always honest on blogs, right?
I remember speaking to Damascus Road about contemplative prayer, and it's hard for me, even though I really believe in it.
I really think I was most able to get Soul Rest during my K-Life years, which is interesting, because those were some of the most challenging years for me emotionally. Maybe the two go hand in hand?
In terms of human rest, one of my quirks is that after playing basketball at night, the only thing I really want to do is hang out with my girlfriend. Too bad I live so far away. But in my heart, that seems like the perfect kind of human rest. I think it seems like coming home.
oh, i've never really thought of church as restful. That's probably bad, right?
I have thought of various K-Life staff retreats as restful.
and Kamp itself, for a Dock Daddy, perhaps gave me the best rest of my life. a healthy rest.
Seems I rest lately when my body forces me to shut down via illness. I run so hard (from what? I ask) that I got mono this summer and it forced me to lie motionless on my couch for over a week. No work, no church, no friends over, no nothing. My roomate said I laughed at commercials the entire time, but I don't remember anything feeling funny. Since then I work a normal work week instead of killing myself like I used to, my body simply wont allow it. In fact, I am currently sitting on my couch called in sick.(because I am sick) Oddly enough, lately church has felt very restful and peaceful for me because I have very little to do with making it happen.
Spiritually speaking, I am most at rest within my spirit when I'm talking to Debbie Holley about my life and when she reminds me how much I am screwed up and how much God loves me anyway. That is a very restful place for me, when i am truly believing that. Usually accompanied with tears of release and tension leaving my shoulders. When I operate in that mode, day to day tasks of all kinds seem rejuvenating and oddly restful, not burdensome. I'm tired when I work for my salvation. I'm restful when I work for the Lord.
The times where I feel the least bit of rest, is when I'm doing what I think constitutes rest. ie: being lazy, sleeping in, being unproductive. I feel the most rest when I'm peaceful at what I'm doing well. When I am excited because I feel like I've acomplished something worthwhile or enjoying. When I lead worship because it's hard and draining, and because I most often need to be hands on with the Lord. When I read a good book because my mind is working. When I'm challenged and when I fail, because most often that's when I fall into the Lord. Yes, Webel, I think an identity based on "productivity" can be un-healthy, but it's when I don't accomplish anything that I feel restless and anxious. It's when I feel like I'm being used, or doing my best or loving the Lord well that I feel fulfilled. That's a fine line, but is there a place for that?
Oh, blazer, I hope you read this! I forgot to tell you, you have to water the bonsai tree every three days or so until he comes to get it... you have to set it in a pan of water and let the water seep up through the bottom for 20 minutes. I watered it last on Thursday. Please don't let it die, just in case Matt wants it!
blazer,
go look at my blog!!!!!!!
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