Devotion for April 27 – Pastor Tim
Get Some Rest (part 2)
Many of us have been there. Middle of the night. Darkness surrounds. All is quiet. Except for one problem. We can’t sleep. We can’t seem to rest. Peace feels far away.
You may have found yourself there, but know this; God intends to bring us life, healing, and peace.
I continue in this devotion with part 2 of Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s, TEDxAtlanta Talk entitled: “The 7 types of rest that every person needs,” beginning with the fourth rest.
The fourth type of rest she describes is creative rest. Creative rest reawakens the awe and wonder inside each one of us. Do you recall the first time you saw the Grand Canyon, the ocean, or a waterfall? Allowing yourself to take in the beauty of the outdoors — even if it’s at a local park or in your own backyard — it provides you with creative rest.
The fifth type of rest is emotional rest, which means having the time and space to freely express your feelings and cut back on people pleasing. Emotional rest also requires the courage to be authentic. An emotionally rested person can answer the question “How are you today?” with a truthful “I’m not okay” — and then go on to share some hard things that otherwise go unsaid.
If you’re in need of emotional rest, you probably have a social rest deficit, too. This is the sixth rest. A social rest deficit occurs when we fail to differentiate between those relationships that revive us from those relationships that exhaust us. To experience more social rest, we need to surround ourselves with positive and supportive people.
The final type of rest is spiritual rest, which is the ability to connect beyond the physical and mental and feel a deep sense of belonging, love, acceptance, and purpose. To receive this, engage in something greater than yourself and add prayer, meditation, or community involvement to your daily routine.
She closes with this statement: As you can see, sleep alone can’t restore us to the point we feel rested. So, it’s time for us to begin focusing on getting the right type of rest we need.
As we continue to celebrate the Easter season, may you find time to rest and renew.
I close with this blessing from John O’Donohue:
Awaken to the mystery of being here
and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.
Have joy and peace in the temple of your senses.
Receive encouragement when new frontiers beckon.
Respond to the call of your gift and the courage to follow its path.
Let the flame of anger free you of all falsity.
May warmth of heart keep your presence aflame.
May anxiety never linger about you.
May your outer dignity mirror an inner dignity of soul.
Take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention.
Be consoled in the secret symmetry of your soul.
May you experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder.
May you continue to rest in the peace of God’s presence,
Pastor Tim