Come and Rest
Man can life get super busy and heavy at times! Recently I found myself mentally exhausted, and simply frustrated with all my responsibilities and everything that was on my plate as a married business owner. There’s so much to do and yet, not enough hours in the day to complete it all.
Maybe some of you can relate with the day-to-day mundane tasks that require so much of your attention. The constant doing and ensuring that everyone else’s needs are met that you forget to stop and breathe. At times it may seem as though you are just going and going like the energizer bunny until the battery runs dead.
Just this past weekend I had to remind myself that it is okay to stop and rest. The world would have us believe that we should keep going, “Team No Sleep!” However, it is not healthy to keep pushing and ignoring what your body needs. It is imperative to stop and rest. Resting allows your mind to take a break and that can help you to make smarter and wiser decisions. When we are sleep-deprived, we are more susceptible to possibly making poor choices. If you have ever had a procedure where they had to sedate you, the nurse will give you an aftercare form and that form will mention that you are “not to do anything that requires attention to detail, no driving and rest when needed.” The reason for that is that it can cause you harm if you do not follow the full instructions.
You see, as a Licensed Mental Health Therapist this line of work is both beautiful and tiring. I also have other obligations and responsibilities outside of my work and although they are all great things, I also have to practice what I preach and be intentional about not just my self-care needs, I need to care for my soul as well. Soul care is a thing, and it is needed more than you know!
On Sunday I sat with the Lord, and he reminded me of the importance of rest. However, not the kind of rest that consists of taking a vacation, although those are great, but he wanted me to understand the rest He meant. That in coming to Him and resting at his feet He would give me the rest that I so desperately yearned for. He gave me Matthew 11:28. He was calling me to Him and drawing me closer because on my own I would completely burn out like that little pink energizer bunny. God does not want us to burn out especially not while doing His work. He has called us to be the light of the world.
When I was resting in Him and soaking in His presence, I had this renewed strength and joy that can only come from our heavenly Father. He wants to give you and I rest, but for Him to do that we have to be obedient and “come to him” with our “burdens.” We must trust that He will carry the “heavy load” when we no longer can and through Him we will be able to do the work He has for us.
Damari Pedroza
10/19/2023
