The Beauty in Rest

It has been a while since I have written or posted an entry. Surprisingly, some have noticed, and I have received questions like “Why haven’t you written anything? When are you going to post something? Do you ever plan to write again?” Some may call it writer’s block, but I call it exhaustion. And in this particular season of my life, I have given myself permission to take a break and do some resting and healing. This summer has been a journey of sitting in the sounds of silence and enjoying the peace. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33).

In a world where we are constantly on “GO.” we often forget our well-being because so many other people are making demands on our time. When we continue on this path, we forget who we are, whose we are, and what we are. We live in a state of exhaustion which becomes a norm, and we constantly relinquish a little piece of ourselves only to realize that we don’t recognize who we have become or the world in which we live. So, what do you do when life becomes overwhelming, you have no strength, or you have grown complacent and weary? Isaiah 40:28-31 (MSG) states “Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening? God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And he knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind.” It is great to rest and lean into the hopes and promises that God has provided.

In the last year and a half, I have suffered more loss than I could ever have imagined. Death is inevitable, but we are not always ready for it. Death will put you at a fork in the road to determine if belief in an Almighty God will or will not sustain you. It is through these times that faith becomes the arms that hold you up, the handkerchief that dries the tears, the perseverance that pushes one foot in front of the other, and the voice of reason that gives assurance. Had it not been for faith and a community of believers, friends, and sisters, where I stand in this season could have been different. Two of my friends passed away within 6 months of each other, and both of their deaths were so unexpected. I realized then that Death waits for no one,  nor does it discriminate in age. Eight months later, one of my dearest friends of 42 years succumbed to a disease that finally took over her body but never her zest for life. Instead of dwelling on what was lost, I learned to appreciate the experiences that come with friendship. Now there are many stories that can be told because we had 42 years of adventures. The ones that I hold near and dear to my heart are seeing beauty through the eyes of Van Gogh, lunch at a sidewalk cafe in downtown Charlotte, and seeing the wondrous beauty of the world from the top of a mountain. Two months later, I would unselfishly say to my mother that it was okay to let go. I took comfort in knowing who she was, whose she was, and the great life that lay ahead. Her departure from this earth revealed to me that I had grown weary. What do you do when you are drained and exhausted?

You take time to listen. “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth. (Psalm 46:10). You take time to rest. You take time to heal. You take time to live with intentionality and forget about all of those tasks that will be present tomorrow, next week, or next month. Despite our many trials and tribulations, we have to take time to care for ourselves. If we don’t, we fall into depletion in all aspects of our lives. We become irritable, sharp-tongued, and unkind. What good are you to anyone at that point? 

The beauty in rest is seeing others and the world through a different lens. It is feeling alive and absorbing the great amount of peace that surrounds you. It is giving yourself permission to bask in the silence and become mentally, emotionally, and spiritually healthy again. Take the time!