Embracing Rest in the Middle of Your Every Day

A new thought on rest: Your soul knows where to find it.

It is not as elusive as it may feel. Even the psalmist commands, "Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you" (Psalm 116:7).

A helpful question may be, "When does your soul feel rested?" Or perhaps, "What were you doing when you last experienced true rest?"

The benefits of rest include increased energy, greater thoughtfulness, and an ability to embrace silence. Each of us is vastly different in personality, experience, and perception, so the "when," "where," and "how" of rest will be different. What is universal is that our souls need rest and can find it.

The command, "return to rest" in Psalm 116 sounds like a choice. True, we need to choose to value it, to explore it. Do you have a favorite place for rest? A preferred resting activity?

Whatever shape that rest takes for you, the sweet spot is found by focusing upon the goodness of God. The pace and hardship of life can rob us of the memory of God's power and love.

Our souls always feel most rested when we remember the goodness of God amid our circumstances. It is important to know what helps you remember His goodness. Reading Scripture, journaling, music, artistic expression, sleeping, exercise, the list goes on...

The writings of Thomas Merton, Dallas Willard, and Eugene Peterson will help you discover practices of revitalizing rest that can touch your soul. Solitude is one practice that I discovered in their teachings and have incorporated into my life.

You will not discern the health of your soul until you get away from the noisy world around you. It is what I love about my place of rest—5:30 every morning. It is quiet and no one in my house is awake. The sun has not risen over the eastern sky. My soul can stretch, ponder, write, and worship.

In addition to the daily routine, I make it an annual practice to steal away for three days of solitude. Monasteries, retreat centers, the forest, and small ocean towns are perfect for quieting your soul and experiencing real and helpful boredom. I take just my Bible, a pen, and a notepad. I once heard a pastor say that God is on the other side of loneliness and boredom.

These are the ways and means of God. It is best not to fight it. He engineered your soul to operate in the rhythm of work and rest. It is what a healthy soul needs.

Rest is not merely physical in this psalm. You will never achieve the rest you truly need on the couch, watching your favorite social media channel or movie. The genuine article is wholistic and reflective, drawn from the One who makes all things new.

Practicing rest, particularly as a leader, is not easy in our world of technology and fast-paced achievement. Moments of success are short-lived in our environment, because we presume that more is better, while God's economy values much more the intangibles of relationship, attitude, and demeanor.

It is up to you. No one will make you return to rest. You will have to fight for it. You will need to dedicate purposeful time considering how to get there. Pursue the activities that keep the memory of the goodness of God at the center. Reminisce about times when your soul knew it had found this life-giving rest and how it equipped you to better reflect His love.

Go now; return to your rest.