On Saturday I was making a long journey home from the Florida Keys to my house in the Tampa Bay area. I had just completed three days of speaking engagements and was weary to the bone. With a seven hour drive ahead of me before I could finally eat dinner and fall into bed, I settled in to listen to some podcasts. I went to one of my favorites and was excited to discover that this week’s episode claimed to offer a list of helps for those who are “living tired.” This was perfect timing for me! I was hopeful to hear some new tips about rest and start putting them into practice. I’ve researched and studied a lot about rest, but I always want to learn more. Half way through the episode, I literally growled over what I was hearing, hit my Apple Play screen to stop the episode and switched over to listen to something else. I was also angry that the type of advice I was hearing might hurt people who actually take it to heart.
Among the so called helps the podcast host gave to remedy a tired life was the suggestion to send a bunch of handwritten notes of encouragement to people in your life. Another tip was to memorize the names of everyone you meet, giving techniques as to how you can go about doing this. The host shared that these helps are especially beneficial to listeners who “aren’t good with names.” As someone who isn’t particularly good at memorizing names especially with meeting hundreds and possibly thousands of people a year plus being in menopause with a foggy brain, I was even more exhausted just listening to this podcast that ended up being all about how I could put more things on my to do list, to help other people.
To clarify to avoid misunderstanding, when I have come across people who are struggling with discouragement (not fatigue or exhaustion) I have advised them to practice gratitude and do something to serve others. I think this is appropriate advice for those who are discouraged and in need of a lift in their spirit. I have experienced a shift in my own attitude when I get my eyes off of myself and serve others when I’m struggling with discouragement. But putting more tasks on your to-do list to remedy exhaustion? HECK NO. The last thing an exhausted person needs is to write handwritten notes of encouragement or try to figure out how to memorize more people’s names. For those of us who are perpetually drained from all that we pour out to others, messages like these can leave us feeling frustrated and angry. It usually also leaves me feeling as if no one understands what it’s like to be me, although I know that’s not true. There are people that understand, those who live the same type of life. I’m just probably not around them at the time I’m listening to a crazy misguided message about writing tons of people handwritten notes and memorizing their names so I don’t feel as tired.
All of us need people around us who affirm and reaffirm the need for daily and weekly rest, and don’t try to pressure us to do more than we are already doing. The average person has a lot more things on their plate than they should.
I came to realize through the podcast that there are many people, even highly educated people — who don’t really know what getting rest means.
Today I’m going to share three ways to get rest that don’t even involve sleep. If you’re ever wondered, “Can I get rest without sleeping?”...yes it is not only possible, it’s absolutely necessary. You have to do more than just sleep. Although you do need to have adequate sleep, (at least seven hours a night to be healthy), there are many more ways that you need to rest in addition to sleep, in order to be healthy. Here are three of them:
Learn how to relax in God’s presence
Many people don’t know what it is to relax with the Lord. In fact, many of us — myself included — were raised to be kind of uptight with the Lord. There are a generation of us, particularly in cultures like old school Pentecostal-holiness, who were raised a plethora of rules, regulations and unrealistic expectations. I wasn’t raised to relax with the Lord…I was raised to believe that we are sinners in the hands of an angry God, waiting for judgment to strike us if we step out of line. Learning to relax in God’s presence is the opposite of that. Until my later adult years, I didn’t know how to just breathe in God’s presence and enjoy his love. Make no mistake, I understand the need for salvation and living a holy life. And, I also understand the need to shed false beliefs such as a works as a path to salvation — or rest.
In any close relationship there has to be the ability to relax together. How many times have you heard it said that the closest relationships are those when you can be side by side without saying anything at all? One of my favorite times of the day is when my husband simply holds me — even when it leads to no other type of intimacy. It’s special to just enjoy a quiet embrace for a while. We’ve got to learn to do this with God too, in order to draw closer to Him. This can be a challenge for those of us who grew up in legalistic environments and can require a reprogramming and most definitely a renewal of the mind. (Romans 12:2)
I encourage you to take time to lie down and invite God’s peace to fill you — body, mind and spirit. Although there are no rules about timing, I suggest starting to do it for at least fifteen minutes a day and see how it goes. Waiting for a while, relaxing in God’s presence is life transforming There is absolutely nothing that recharges me like this. Sometimes it leads to sleep, other times it doesn’t. Whether or not, I have found it to be beneficial, especially when it becomes a habit.
To get into the right mindset, it helps me to play soaking worship, like Julie True. I also utilize apps like Abide Meditation app for Christians. Learn to be patient and wait until you sense the peace of God. If you’re not feeling it, you’re not waiting long enough. Keep in mind that rest is found in a person, not a pillow. I often remind people that Jesus doesn’t just bring you peace –He IS peace. When you prioritize spending time in the presence of God, you will find yourself being able to to sleep more readily when it is time.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” – Matthew 11:28
One of the most important things that I do on a daily basis is to intentionally pursue the presence and peace of God without any distraction. I do not have hours a day to do this unless it is my Sabbath day. But as I do this even a little bit from day to day, I discover that He is the rest my soul longs for and nothing else will satisfy.
Give your senses a Sabbath
This is hard for me! I will confess, it’s not my strong point. I enjoy social media and writing and it’s one of my favorite ways to relax. But it’s necessary to break away. There are times that rest requires turning off all screens, stepping away from noise, and sitting in the quiet. There is power in the silence. Yesterday I explained to our leadership cohort that I can’t even be “okay” (spiritually, emotionally and physically) without solitude and quiet on a daily basis. I start to get rough around the edges as I call it — even embarrassingly rough around the edges.
Solitude is truly where my strength is found in that place where everything else is shut off, and I am tuned in to God. Not only is it my place of rest, but it is the main catalyst for every piece of anything creative that I have ever produced. Anything good that comes out of me originates here, in this place with God.
“In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” – Isaiah 30:15
God calls us to stillness, not just sleep. Sit in silence, close your eyes, and let your thoughts slow down as you invite the Holy Spirit to meet you. This spiritual stillness can bring the same (or even greater) renewal than a short nap…although I do love my power naps, too. I keep everything I need for a nap in my office — pillows, blankets, etc. and if I am feeling exhausted and have a mental block because of it, I will often lie down for 15 minutes in the afternoon. When I get up, it’s like I’m a new person when I go back to do my work. The creative ideas start firing in my mind, and I feel like I have my brain back.
Practice Christian meditation
Some people freak out when you even say the word meditation. It has gotten a really bad reputation and this is unfortunate. Biblical meditation is one of the most powerful tools that we have for rest and it also brings power as we lean into the truth of God’s Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you how to rest in God. He is the best teacher and He longs to give you rest. While worldly meditation is about totally emptying the mind, Christian meditation fills the mind with the Word of God, and focusing on God’s presence. The Bible instructs us to meditate upon the Lord.
“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.” – Psalm 119:15
Consider selecting a Scripture verse that speaks peace to you, and slowly reflect on each word. Breathe deeply and allow the truth of God’s Word to settle in your spirit. You will find that this type of meditative rest calms your nervous system and centers your entire being on Christ instead of your worries. For example, one Scripture I like to meditate on is Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”
There are times I will lie down and breathe and say, “Lord, thank you for keeping me in perfect peace. My mind is stayed on You. I trust in You.” If a worry tries to invade my mind I say it again, “Lord, thank you for keeping me in perfect peace. My mind is stayed on You. I trust in You.”
Alternate between quietly saying or thinking these type of Scriptures, and listening for God. Allow the Holy Spirit to speak to your spirit. Sit quietly and ask: “God, what would You like me to know right now?” You might be surprised how much peace His voice brings.
You will get to know the voice of God after a while, just as much as you know the voice of your husband when he calls, or your children. You won’t have to ask anymore if it’s the Lord because you will become so familiar with His voice. And, His voice brings tremendous rest in and of itself. Maybe you doubt that you could actually hear the voice of God, but I assure you, it’s not only possible — it’s God’s design for you. John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” God’s will is that you hear His voice, know Him and follow Him. Doing this is one of the main ways you find rest.
What has your experience been with any of this? I’d love to hear about it in the comments.
I love this Doc. I consider you a Godly Mentor❤️