Sit down, take a load off

Why is that we have trouble just relaxing? Resting?
I'm always amazed how much clearer my mind is afterward. But yet, I still have trouble doing it.

I got a text message from a good friend this morning who graduated this past May from seminary who tells me she is having the most wonderful summer, even though she is completely broke. In her words: "I recommend EVERYONE do this: Nothing for the summer after graduating."

It sounds enticing. . . even appealing . . . and like a plan I should follow after these next two years left in my Masters program are up. But what quickly comes to mind is how easy will it really be for me to do that? Just do nothing and life free for a few months. Without any planned days or feelings that I should be doing something.
It'll definitely be a challenge.

My friend's pronouncement took me back to the days after I graduated from college. I was frantically running around trying to convince some news station or news organization to give me a job. All of my friends had graduated with jobs and I had not one prospect. After spending two additional weeks in Charlotte on the job hunt, I returned home just as panicky and frustrated as the day I was when I crossed the stage to get my degree. Then I remembered I had read this magazine that featured this beautiful black meteorologist who worked at the Weather Channel. I decided to call her up. I actually felt as though something was telling me to call her. Somehow, I felt she would understand and give me some insight on my next move.

Surprisingly, she called me back and gave me the most shocking advice:"Take this time and rest. You've just spend the last four years working on this degree and there is nothing wrong in taking some time to relax." she said. "I wish I had done that. The fact is, you'll have the rest of your life to work."

And she was right. We're so used to just going and going like the Energizer Bunny and feeling like our time needs to be occupied just about every minute of the day doing something meaningful that when it isn't, it registers in our brains that doing absolutely nothing is just unacceptable. It's not normal.

But yet it is normal. Psalms 116:7, "Be at rest, once more my soul, for the Lord has been good to you," is a reminder that our soul actually yearns for rest. And it's only in God that our soul can rest easy and be at peace. Whether we know it or not, God and our souls are like magnets constantly drawn to one another. When we're weary, tired and burdened our soul instinctively knows where it can be refreshed and revived. I've gotten some amazing revelations when I've taken the time to take it easy. And I suggest you do the same.

Never know what that rest may birth forth.