“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” -Matthew 11:28-30
I love to run. It is something that helps center me, on days when I feel overwhelmed or anxious, going for a run or hike does wonders. It may not be running for you, maybe it is reading, biking, swimming, walking, playing music. Whatever that thing is, it helps us move in a different way and helps us heal and find peace.
There is a part of running that I have had to learn about in the hard way. That is rest. One of the training plans I use says this: “Rest is an important part of your training, a very important part. Friday is always a day of rest in this program. Be realistic about your fatigue level and don't feel guilty if you decide to take an additional day off.”
Even if there are things that help us, we still have to do them in balance, our body needs to heal. So does the rest of us. Just like our phones and computers, we cannot keep going on an empty battery. Sometimes we need to rest, to allow the healing and peace to come. We are promised rest in the God who loves us unconditionally.
God, help me know that it is okay to rest and heal. You are love, you are peace. Help me rest in you. Amen.
Jay Kiel
