Finding Rest
I don’t know about you, but some days, I feel so tired.
My schedule quickly fills up with work obligations, faith-related activities, dinner dates with friends, Broadway musical outings, speaking events, professional development opportunities, doctor visits, birthday parties, etc….not to mention the other monotonous, and yet important, tasks of grocery shopping, planning and cooking healthy meals, laundry, doing dishes, cleaning my apartment, working out, filing taxes, properly grooming, and getting enough sleep. And I don’t even have kids to factor into my schedule (shout-out to all of the awesome moms and dads out there killing it)!
Also, as a perfectionist, I try to do anything and everything without the slightest imperfection or flaw, and even if things go swimmingly beautiful, I’m quick to point out what did not go 100% or what I could have done better. I am constantly stressing over the details, and I want to make sure I’ve thought of everything that could go wrong and try to prevent it from happening. I also want to make sure everyone has a good time and is not left out or has a bad experience. I often have a difficult time delegating tasks because I think things have to be done in a very specific way. I often find that my desire for perfection also spills into my spiritual life. I critique myself if I don’t pray enough or don’t feel like I got a lot out of a prayer experience. I also find myself demanding immediate answers from God rather than trusting that He will reveal answers to me in His own time.
Life is physically, mentally, and spiritually EXHAUSTING. And yet, I still think that I’m “too busy” for prayer or don’t have time to rest because I have too much on my to do list. However, I remind myself of the following:
“He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself…” - Matthew 14:13
“After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.” - Matthew 14:23
“Departing from there, Jesus went along by the Sea of Galilee, and having gone up on the mountain, He was sitting there.” - Matthew 15:29
“In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.” - Mark 1:35
“Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion.” - Mark 4:38
“It was at this time that He went off to the mountain to pray, and He spent the whole night in prayer to God.” - Luke 6:12
Even Jesus needed to find time to retreat from the busyness of life and ministry to go pray and rest.
Find what brings you rest, either physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually and do it! Set aside time to pray/meditate, sleep in a few extra minutes one day, go to a spa, go on a hike or run, bake something, work on a puzzle, go to a concert or show with friends, read something on a topic you’re interested in or want to learn more about, listen to music, or go on a retreat (maybe even try a silent retreat). Self care is so important and will help give you energy to handle the stress of life. Because we are mind, body, AND soul, we must nurture and tend to all three of these areas in order to find true balance and peace. Finally, we must recognize and accept that we aren’t going to be perfect all of the time….and that it is perfectly okay!
