Reflections on Rest
Today I leave for an 8 day vacation with my sister. We’ve been planning this trip for months and I’m so excited!
But I’ll be honest… my excitement has been hampered by my stress. I’m stressed about being away from work. I’m stressed about what might come up. I’m stressed about turning off email and letting it pile up for a week. I’m stressed about feeling guilty for taking a break.
Can you relate?
I have a hard time resting. I have difficulty observing Sabbath. I have trouble relaxing.
In our much-doing we lose perspective, lose our energy, and more importantly, lose our creativity and sense of humor. We thus begin to carry the world on our shoulders and soon become overwhelmed or disillusioned. But to simply withdraw does not provide the way forward, for we then take our hurt or tired self with us. Rather, the movement to solitude is to find a renewed self, and from the center of being loved and nourished we can again enter our world with purposeful engagement and joyful detachment.
from Dare to Journey with Henri Nouwen
I’m desperately in need of renewal. I have been doing too much.
And so this trip is about rest.
- It’s about intentional time with my sister.
- It’s about rejuvenating my spirit.
- It’s about hearing God in the everyday simple things.
- It’s about wandering, exploring with no agenda.
So this week, I may not be blogging a ton. What I will be blogging about will be my journey to finding some rest.
Will you join me on the journey?
How have you learned to rest?
That used to be a bigger issue than now. I don’t stress at all over trips anymore, for two main reasons. First a co-worker said “You really need to get over yourself. Everything won’t fall apart if you’re not there.” that revealed stress was in large part due to pride. Second reason- it’s a great opportunity to show the rest of your team you trust them, and to allow God the space to let them grow when something *does* come up. So the other root cause of stress is lack of trust, in God and in team-mates. I’m not saying pride and trust are necessarily issues for you, but if they are- let them go – and have a *wonderful* trip, confident God will manage ok in your absence 🙂
Ouch, ouch Larry! You are so right! I wish I could say pride and trust aren’t issues for me, but they are. Thank you for your honesty.
I am actually learning how to rest.
It isn’t easy for some who has used business as a means to bury stress, pain and numerous other things I just didn’t want to face. I struggle with it – but I know I am needing a good “solid” and extended rest very soon.
Our small group season wraps up mid-May, and my classes end around the same time…and I am taking the summer off and just enjoying my family, time with myself when I am not in Mommy mode (normally during nap time around here), and focusing on writing my first book and hanging out with some great friends.
That sounds like a great plan, Marni. You definitely need to relax this summer! Can’t wait to hear about your book!
I haven’t learned…I thought you knew and were gonna share the secret!