Finding REST in the Everyday: The Biblical Basis – Episode 5

Rest is a topic that Christian women are not talking enough about. In fact, we tend to glorify busy. We glorify perfection, and doing more, and sometimes we even glorify a too full messy life over a more restful life. Today we are going to dive into what rest means from a Biblical perspective and why it's so important for the Christian women today. Listen to the Podcast: We also recorded this blog post as an audio podcast. If you want to listen in instead of reading, click play below or do a combination of both  And don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. Physical Warning Signs of Lack of Rest "Just as running too fast round the track will eventually result in physical problems, so running the race of life at too fast a pace will have physical consequences. Over 70 percent of Americans experience stress-induced symptoms such as headaches, stomach cramps, sore joints, back pain, ulcers, breathlessness, bad skin, an irritable bowel, chest pain, and palpitations. I certainly had some of these symptoms, and I also remember many female patients who came to me with multiple and varied bodily pains for which no physical explantation could be found, no matter how many tests and scans they had. Their lives were simply too fast and full for their bodies and minds. It's called "burnout" for a reason: All the stress causes chronic inflammation, a sort of fire in our cells that burns all the hotter, further, and longer the more fuel we add to it with our hectic lifestyles. Feeling tired, exhausted, and lethargic all the time are early warning signs that should be heeded." - Refreshed, page 26 PUSHING ourselves too hard: "We are not only creatures; we are complicated creatures. We have not only incredibly complex bodies but also remarkably intricate souls. And when you put these together in one person, you have multiplied complications as each part interacts with the others. That was one of the key areas I forgot. I was pushing myself physically in many different ways. God has blessed me with a strong will, and when I decided to get something done, I just kept pushing until it was accomplished. "Yes, at times I could tell that such determined pushing was taking a toll on my body but I ailed to see that it was also taking a toll on my mind and my soul. I seemed to think that I could push and exhaust the physical part of me, and the mental, emotional and spiritual parts would be unaffected. I was not seeing myself as God has made me - a limited creature and complex creature. I was not only underestimating my limitations but underestimating the impact of an exhausted body on my mind and my soul. And I'm not talking here about exceptional times in life when we have to push ourselves much harder, such as when facing exams, work deadlines, or nursing babies. I'm talking about this becoming the norm, the default, for extended periods of time. Verses such as Phil 4:13 - "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" - do not override our basic need to eat, drink, and sleep." - Refreshed, page 39. I've found in my life, that knowing I need to rest more, isn't the same as truly believing it. And I've found that my inability to rest was very much tied up in feeling like I needed to do ALL THE THINGS all of the time. This is still something I can struggle with time to time, but by God's Grace I've come a long way. Here are some truths to keep in mind when we are struggling with this Biblical concept of REST: Stop striving  - your worth is in Christ "A grace-paced life? What's this? It's a pace of life that's constantly refreshed by five different wells of divine grace. First, there's the motivating well of grace. We used to be driven by money, family perfection, beauty, careers, or earning God's favor. But instead of filling and fulfilling us, these motivations drained and dried us. Now though,