{"id":254,"date":"2023-08-13T19:39:37","date_gmt":"2023-08-13T23:39:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/butfirstjesus\/?p=254"},"modified":"2023-08-14T08:22:14","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T12:22:14","slug":"lifes-most-essential-ingredient-rest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/butfirstjesus\/2023\/08\/lifes-most-essential-ingredient-rest\/","title":{"rendered":"Life’s Most Essential Ingredient: Rest"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Image by Pexels<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

There is a wonderful app I use for Christian meditation called Live from Rest<\/a>. Isn\u2019t that just the greatest name? I think it\u2019s actually the most essential ingredient for how we should live our lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Rest is defined as ceasing work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. Not to be confused with sloth \u2013 reluctance to work or make an effort; laziness.<\/span><\/h3>\n \ \u00a0<\/p>\n \ Frequently in our hustle and go-go-go culture these two get confused or twined together and viewed in the same negative light. We are pushed to keep up. To publish constantly on social media, to have hundreds of friends we \u201cfollow\u201d, and to do more, be more, and prove it with those glowing selfies, rinse and repeat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \ \u00a0<\/p>\n \ I want to encourage you today. There is healing in rest. Silence cleanses. Rest restores.<\/span><\/p>\n \ \u00a0<\/p>\n \ So yes, we are called not to be sluggards and to model ourselves after ants, to be industrious and hard working.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \ \u00a0<\/p>\n " Go to the ant, you sluggard;<\/span> \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>consider its ways and be wise!<\/span><\/span> \nIt has no commander,<\/span> \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>no overseer or ruler,<\/span><\/span> \nyet it stores its provisions in summer<\/span> \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>and gathers its food at harvest. (Proverbs 6:6-8<\/a> NIV)<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n But, we are not, on the other hand, called to burn the candle at both ends, to work until we drop, to run until we can\u2019t run anymore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Five cups of coffee needed? Something is out of balance!\u00a0<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n " Six days you shall labor and do all your work,<\/span>\u00a0but the seventh day is a sabbath\u00a0to the\u00a0Lord<\/span> your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. (Exodus 20:9-10<\/a> NIV)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n We know the old cliche about taking time to fill our cups, so we can pour out into others because we cannot do so when our cups are empty. While it might be advice often flippantly shared it is also how Jesus lived his life.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Jesus took time to pull away, rest, and pray. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n " But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. (Luke 5:16<\/a> NIV)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In fact, the Bible mentions rest more than 35 times.\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n*** ** ***\u00a0<\/p>\n As I look out at my garden, I see the slight changes as wisps of fall are starting to trickle down from the mountains. Cool breezes are coming in strong and, while I\u2019m not saying to go out and replace your pantry with everything pumpkin spice, the season seems on the cusp of turning to autumn soon. A time of year when most of the general public (in the USA at least) begin to think of slowing down and snuggling in, hygge<\/a>\u00a0starting to trend once more.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Instead of waiting for a season of rest, let\u2019s take it and spread it throughout the year.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Did you participate in the mid-year check up<\/a>? If not, I still encourage you to do so, use it as a chance to clean out and clear up those overflowing task reminders and schedule in frequent spots of rest.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Let us savor rest the way our Lord modeled and the Bible entreats. As we move forward, let us Live from a place of rest.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n He says, \u201cBe still, and know that I am God;<\/span>*** \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>I will be exalted\u00a0among the nations,<\/span><\/span> ***\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>I will be exalted in the earth.\u201d (Psalm 46:10<\/a> NIV)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There is a wonderful app I use for Christian meditation called Live from Rest. Isn\u2019t that just the greatest name? I think it\u2019s actually the most essential ingredient for how we should live our lives.\u00a0 \u00a0 Rest is defined as ceasing work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength. Not to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5061,"featured_media":260,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[149,76],"tags":[158,15,155,161,152],"class_list":["post-254","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biblical-living","category-christian-life","tag-biblical-living","tag-christian-living","tag-hygge","tag-refresh","tag-rest"],"yoast_head":"\nLife's Most Essential Ingredient: Rest<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Jesus took time to pull away, rest, and pray. 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