I actually strongly despise that word…relax. Every time I hear it I cringe. It all started when I was a
little girl and was told, “Just relax Teresa!� It was not done maliciously but
just to have me calm down. I tend to get super excited about life or something
and am not so good at being patient and waiting on others.
This summer I have been able to do that dreaded word…and it
wasn’t that bad. Actually, it was incredible. The last 8 years of my life I
feel like I have been running around like a wild woman, so consequently I came into this summer completely burnt out.
I love staying busy for the most part until I crash and then I ask myself, why
can’t I just say no?
I know that it is important to rest but I really don’t like
to. I misinterpret the word and think it means sitting and doing nothing. But
this summer I realize that it is way more than that.
Before Training Camp I was able to sit and read books…and it
wasn’t for school! Or do crafts… or leisurely hang out with old friends and not
have to run off to the next meeting. I have
been able to have long conversations with my parents about deep life questions
and have quiet times that don’t have a time limit and so on. I cannot tell you
how thankful I am to God for this time to just sit and enjoy the simple things
in life.
After Training Camp my weeks somehow turned into a mad rush.
Because of the slowness of the beginning of summer I realized how exhausting I
make my life. The beginning of this week my mom took me on a mini retreat. We
stayed at this beautiful old house where nuns used to live. Now they changed it to a place for people to
come and be refreshed.
I had the most glorious time with her. What did we do? We
rested. We just sat and talked for hours on end. Well, that doesn’t always
sound that restful, but somehow talking with my mom is!
It was such a wonderful time to look back on my life and see
all that God has done. All the adventures He has already taken me on, lessons I
have learned, opportunities He has given me, people I have met, and just being
grateful for the ridiculously blessed
life I have. Now there were times of tears and remembering hardships and trials,
but it was so neat to look at them and just be amazed by God’s faithfulness. I
would have never realized some of these things if I did not take a second out
of my life just to reminisce and ask God to show me how He has been faithful.
There are times God calls us to go and run this race…but
there are also moments where we are called to just bask in His stillness. Work
and rest aren’t enemies, which I often think, but they go hand in hand. We
should enjoy the sweet, quiet pockets of this life. So hard to do, but boy it
is in those moments when we get to see a better picture of our God because we
actually can sit and listen to His still small voice or look back and realize
all that has happened in our lives. God-given rest gives us the strength we
need to live this life.
Who am I kidding?! After God created the world, He
rested…God!!! Of course He did not have to but He set an example. Even Jesus
knew that He needed time to rest and stole away to get time with His Heavenly
Father. If I want to be pouring out into
others I need to remember that I have to have time to get poured into. We are
not made to do, do, do, (which I love to do 🙂 ).
Jesus makes a promise that if we come to Him He will give us rest (Matthew
11:28). God gives rest. “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” Psalm 23: 2-3. God did not give us the Sabbath for just one
more rule to follow. He gave us the Sabbath because He loves us and knew that
we need rest to function in this world.
God has graciously given me this summer to reflect and
yes…relax. I am feeling refreshed! What a perfect way to start The Race of a
life time!
Relaxing isn’t that bad…still not fond of the word. I think
I prefer chillin 🙂
