“And He said to them, “Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.”

Mark 6:31

Say these words…RETREAT. REFRESH. REJUVENATE. REST…to active and ambitious people and you might want to brace yourself for a fight. To them, these words are foreign and archaic. Yes, I am chief among them! I am a creative person and creatives often lose the art of REST. Our minds are continuously churning and running on to the next thought or task. It’s difficult for us to shut-down and simply REST.

I visited the ophthalmologist recently. She put some drops in my eyes to dilate my pupils. She left the room to check on another patient. When she returned, she saw that I had picked up my iPad and was reading. With a beautiful smile on her face, she said, “You are still reading?” My response was, “Oh, you want me to REST my eyes?” She replied, “Yes, just for a little while, so that your eyes can dilate.”

Ugh! Why was I trying to read while my eyes were trying to dilate? Don’t even ask. I felt like I was wasting my precious time just sitting and staring at eye charts and diagrams. Didn’t she know that I had work to do? Besides, I like to keep my brain stimulated.

Yes, I am guilty as charged. I love being active, doing, doing, doing; it’s just in my DNA. I love the feeling of accomplishment.

Jesus commanded His disciples in Mark 6:31 to slip away and REST. Jesus knows that we are mere fragile mortals, shaped from the dust of the earth. Our frame is weak. Even though we are commissioned by God to work and to work diligently for His kingdom, there must be a balance between work, relaxation and REST. As a matter of fact, the Lord, expressly said to me, “REST is spiritual warfare!”

I can be a busy-bee; however, I do take a personal sabbatical once or twice a year. I have a place where I love to retreat to for a few days where I only hear the whizzing sound of Amtrak trains speeding along the tracks, taking their passengers to destinations near and far.

The first time, I went on one of my retreats to get some much-needed rest and to hear from God, I fell asleep and just slept and slept. I was about to get disgusted with myself for sleeping so much, when the thought came to me, “Isn’t this your purpose for being here—to REST?” After many hours of sleep, my mind, body and spirit rejoiced. Guess what? As I am writing this post, I am at my favorite spot, listening to the occasional sound of a zooming train.

REST, truly is not an option as Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD explains in her newest book, “Sacred Rest^[1].” She states, “You can either make time to rest or rest will take the time it needs. The choice is yours. The best time to rest is when you don’t have time for it.”

The Scriptures also exclaims, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15).

I have discovered, that when I give myself the rest that is needed, my creative visions are sharper, my ability to hear is keener and my spiritual night dreams return. Yes, God speaks to me through dreams. In a dream, during one of my sacred rest periods, God warned me of impending danger. Someone was trying to harm me and my reputation. But, He also showed me that He had put safe guards in place.

I pray that you have gained something by me sharing some of my experiences. SELAH — pause and think on this! REST is not an option, my friend. According to Dr. Dalton-Smith, “Rest is the conductor connecting you to the energy refill you need.”

Get some rest folks!

Declare…

I will get the necessary rest that is needed for me. I will listen to my body and slip away to a secluded place where my body and mind can heal…RETREAT. REFRESH. REJUVENATE. REST!

^[1]Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for including the book “Sacred Rest” by Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, Hachette Book Group, Inc., 2017, in my post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. PP – 30-31.

Posted by on Wednesday, January 31st, 2018 @ 12:34AM
Categories: Inspirational