The Restful Mind: Unwind, Recharge, Thrive! 

4 minute read 

Rest and sleep are important to our mental health. Lack of sleep can take not only a physical toll but also a mental one. This can lead to delirium and hallucinations at its' worst. Unfortunately for many, especially if you live in a city in the U.S, we make rest seem unnecessary, "there’s no time for that", or even worse…. lazy. Some may say “I will rest and sleep when I die”.  Well, that may be happening sooner than you thought if you neglect resting.

The sabbath is a day of rest and is a gift that God gave us. Although it is an Old Testament law it is a principle of life God gave, that is still for our benefit today. The sabbath is a day of resting from all the work you did throughout the week. It was a time to keep holy and set apart. 

Exodus 20: 8-11 (NIV) Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. 

This principal God taught us is good for us mentally, physically and spiritually. Rest is also linked to better outflows of creativity.  

 Lack of rest can be linked to many illnesses. Sleep deficiency can cause many chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Sleep deficiency is also linked to a higher chance of injury in adults, teens, and children (according to The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)). “Sleep deprivation can cause daytime sleepiness, mood shifts, difficulty concentrating, and slower thinking” (sleep foundation.org). Sometimes you may be feeling down, or sick because you need a nap, you need to sleep.

The definition of rest is a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities. Or freedom from activity or labor and, this was my favorite definition, peace of mind or spirit.  Through the Sabbath, we take time to rest, be with God and gain a peace of mind and spirit. Who doesn’t want that?

One of the things that makes it difficult for me to take rest is that I am self-employed. Therefore, I do not have a company giving me PTO. If I don’t work, I don’t make money. This is one of the things I realized was an issue for me when thinking about taking a day off, especially a week.

Now when I did work for a company and had PTO, taking off was easy. In fact, I find it odd when people work at a job that gives PTO and they just let it sit there…. like what???

For me that makes taking time off easy and for others they still won’t do it.  If I was about to quit a job, I always checked how much PTO I had left to make sure I used it all, then I would quit.  You don’t quit a job with that sitting on the table.

But now being self-employed, I was fearful. Then God asked me, why are you so afraid, when I am your source?  That’s when I got convicted. If God is truly my source and my everything, why am I so afraid.  I was letting fear keep me from observing what God has commanded me to do.  God is my source, not humankind, so I have no reason to fear.  This requires a lot of faith to know that God will take care of all my financial needs...and then some. The sabbath, taking time to pause, and be with God, helps remind me who my source is.

I am disciplining myself now to make sure I observe a sabbath.  Your sabbath does not have to be the traditional Friday evening to Saturday evening.  What is most important is to take a day and stick to it. I do this not because I am a legalist that thinks this will get me into heaven, but because I know it is in my best interest.

Everything that God tells us to do is in our best interest because he loves us. I understand that the sabbath is a gift God gave, to give us peace. The sabbath was made for us. It keeps our body and minds rejuvenated and fresh.  Rest is very important for our overall health. 

 So, why don’t you take a day every week, a week every few months or maybe even two or three weeks throughout the year. Enjoy the gift of rest and let your mind experience peace. 

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Thank you and Take care,

Christina Adrien