As we approach the busiest season of the year, it’s a good idea to pause, take a step back, and assess where you are. God created us to work but He also created us to rest. Finding the balance between the two can be quite difficult, especially at this time of the year. Here’s some tips for finding rest in God during this busy season.
How to Rest
Here in America, it can be hard to rest. Our culture is founded on hard work and being productive as much as possible. And during this season, that cultural expectation is tenfold, causing what is often unattainable to become even more impossible to achieve. So how do we rest in general?
It really just boils down to setting the time aside and intentionally planning rest periods within your day. Easier said than done, yes, but it’s well worth it. Your future you will thank you abundantly when you are better rested to do quality tasks later on rather than poor quality work.
Balancing the To-Do List
I believe in keeping to-do lists and prioritizing the items on that list. But that alone is not enough. You have to be honest with yourself and accept the fact that you’ll never get everything done. That can be a hard truth to swallow, but once you accept that, the rest becomes easier. Now you can prioritize your items and balance between the needs-to-be-done and the important personal tasks.
For example, if you need to make a dish for Thanksgiving dinner but also want to spend time with the family that just arrived from out of town, figure out what else on your to-do list can be sacrificed in order to spend that quality time with family. At the end of the day, I think spending another hour with your grandmother chatting about the olden days when she was your age is way more valuable than running to grab that cranberry relish you forgot to get at the store.
Finding Rest in God
This is one of those “if you know, you know” scenarios. If you know God on a personal level, then you know first hand how nothing beats finding rest in God. He created us, the work we do, and rest itself. So who better to turn to for rest than the designer of it Himself?
Sometimes people have a tendency to “run past God” as I say. What I mean is, God is here and now. He invites us to Him at every given moment of the day. We don’t have to go hunt Him down and we don’t have to work hard to find Him. He’s right in front of you! So don’t run past Him in search of Him. Just stand where you are and embrace His open arms. That is where you will find rest.
Practical Activities for Finding Rest in God
Besides finding rest in God by being still, there are some practical activities you can enjoy that will also help. Let the Holy Spirit lead you. Consider prayer. Praying is simply having a conversation with God Himself. Tell Him your thoughts, your worries and concerns, and lay down the burdens of the day to Him. Empty yourself of the weight of this world so that you have room for Him to fill you with His peace and joy. Then He can prepare you to accept a fuller restfulness from Him.
Another practical way is to read the Bible. God’s Word to us is full of learning opportunities, encouragement, and whatever precise thing God wants to communicate to you. If you don’t know where to begin, one of my favorite chapters in the Bible for this season is Philippians 4. Dig in and see what God has to show you. Even though it’s the closing of Paul’s letter to the Philippian church, it’s still full of deep encouragement and tips for living this life.
Get Outside
Lastly, just get outside. If you’re starting to feel cooped up in the house that’s full of heat from all the cooking and the noise of all the people, take a break and go outside. Go on a hike or even just a stroll through your neighborhood. Just getting outside can help clear your mind of any chaos you’re experiencing. Sometimes it might even help you organize your thoughts so that you can be more productive when you get back. Read more tips on using the outdoors to aid in rest.
Conclusion
Ultimately, finding rest in God is the best way to enjoy this holiday season. Lean on Him in everything and He will fill you with what you need to enjoy this season. If you do not yet know God personally, reach out to Him. He’s only a prayer away. All you have to do is talk to Him. There’s no need to say a specially crafted prayer either, you can just simply talk as you would with anyone else. He would love to help you through this life, all you need to do is give Him a call. He will show you the rest. If you have any questions about any of this, please let me know in the comments below or send me a DM on Instagram. I’d love to help you get to know God better this season.
That’s all I have for this week! I hope this encourages you and gives you some ideas of how to get the most out of this busy season by finding rest in God. Until next time, Happy Thanksgiving, and enjoy exploring Chatt!
Thank God for His rest! I especially liked what you said about running past God. Sometimes we jump right into the to-do list of the day and forget to pray. Thus giving opportunity for anxiety and therefore missing out on the promised peace of God which guards our hearts and minds from the thief. In this moment if turn to the model prayer in Luke 11 the rest is still attainable. Praise God for His promises!
Oh yes, I’m very much guilty of forgetting Him in the day to day. Which is unfathomable when you’re actively in His presence. Yet we must die to ourselves daily because our flesh would have us forget Him daily. I’m so grateful He is still patient and perseverant with us despite this.