Pressing Pause: Creating Space for Rest

Spring is around the corner.

Yes, I promise, it really is. This is my mantra as I glance out the window at the occasional flurry, after we just had a few days in the upper 60's.

The warmer weather reminded me of a stroll I once took. As I approached the end of the road, I heard the babbling flow of a nearby stream, and a chorus of peep frogs ushering in spring.

I almost missed the moment in my rush to get back to my evening responsibilities. But the peepers were calling, and I've been known to pull over from driving and roll down the windows just to hear them. It's a calming sound that soothes my soul, and brings hope-filled anticipation for the rebirth brought by spring.

I forced myself to stop, close my eyes, take a few deep breaths, and soak it in. 

Then, I thought of a moms' group I help facilitate and the topic we were studying at the time.

Rest.

What does it say about us, when we have to resort to studying rest in order to justify its place in our lives? 

Why is rest so foreign and elusive to us?

We need to slow down, and create space for self-care. For rest. For reconnection.

Once again, I had put myself on the back burner, and was carrying more weight than I'm intended to carry.

We have a constant tug of war. Many of us feel this way. We carry the weight of the world on our shoulders, and fear the possibilities of what it would look like to put it down, even for just a few moments.

And when we do put the weight down, then we pick up our phones and scroll, or binge watch, or some other distraction to fill the time. Not that these things are inherently bad, but we've become so accustomed to the noise that we often fear the silence.

Part of that noise is the weight we carry in our heads. Our anxious minds often grinding gears that don't even need to be turning, because we tend to overthink.

Even our Creator gave us an example to live by, by resting after days spent on the work of creation.

Resting to reconnect and rejuvenate before diving into the next thing.

We must choose to be intentional. To embrace the stillness and quiet. Don't fear the silence, for in it we may just find the clarity and peace we so desperately seek.

Please, take a moment today to close your eyes, be still, and simply breathe.

Where in your life do you need to press the pause button? Work? Parenting? Ministry? Social media? Hobbies? Wherever you feel that the most, I encourage you to intentionally pause and allow just five minutes of stillness, deep breathing, and quiet before moving on to the next thing. 

Please, share in the comments below as a commitment to yourself to follow through. Where will you press the pause button today?