Thursday, November 2, 2017

Take that rest day

"It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep." Psalm 127:2


Image result for resting runner pic
Women's Running Magazine most recently answered the question many runners ask, "Should I ever take a break?" The simple answer was, "Yes! No matter how much you love running, it's important to let your mind and body rest." Especially, they said, if your legs are constantly tired, running isn't as enjoyable is it once was, or you're at the end of a training cycle. They went on to say that constantly pushing your body to the extreme can negatively affect your running and your overall wellness. So, as much as you want to fight it, making a rest day a part of your routine is a great idea. 

You know, God desires that we rest as well. As Christians we know this right? But if we know this, why are so many of us not doing it? Why are we constantly “eating the bread of anxious toil?” Could it be that taking a day of rest means that we have to surrender our plans and trust that God will take care of things for us? Trust that our world won't come to a stop if we give up control for 24-hours? And while you can be sure that hard work honors God, there has to be a balance. And that balance is to trust God to provide for our needs through our hard work but also to trust God to provide for our needs while we rest from that work. You see, God knows rest is important for our overall wellness too. After all, He made us. 

And if you’re still questioning the benefits of physical and spiritual resting, consider the words of Charles Spurgeon, "Rest time is not waste time. It is economy to gather fresh strength… It is wisdom to take occasional furlough. In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less."

Heavenly Father, thank you for promising to give rest to your beloved. Help us to realize the importance of resting in your presence that we would enter into it regularly. Refresh us today Lord and help us to have a balance in our lives trusting that you will provide for us at work and at rest. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!

Be still my soul - Kari Jobe

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