Seeking rest
Rest for me is to (RE)engage in heavenly peace. It is a sense of trust despite sailing through the chaos.
Starting 2022, I assumed I’d be productive, but I was quickly bored and anxious for growth. Amid my storm, I had to shift my ego to rest. Re-learn what it means to re-surrender —seeking after God’s heart instead of worldly success. Becoming intentional for rest was a state of mind that God works for me.
Yes, even as an advocate for slowness, it was challenging. I had to unplug from productivity and reassign myself to embrace each day with thankfulness.
I took more intents away from performance and surrendered my thoughts in exchange for God’s thoughts for me. There was so much love in this rest as I create this piece of florals inspired by my friendship with Carissa.
In collaboration with @wildflowerculture,
I was guided by peace, a sense of restfulness that God is still moving mountains for us.
I am thankful that this rest came so appropriately for this season.
Isaiah 55:9-12 spoke to me whilst creating ‘rest’.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return to it without watering the earth
making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower
and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire and
achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”
Isaiah 55:9-12 NIV
@wildflowerculture \ Carissa’s journey to rest:
At the start of 2022, I felt God saying that a season of REST would be coming soon, which got me very excited.
I had been feeling burned out for a while — as an independent copywriter, I was very grateful to see my business progressing, but on the other hand, I was drowning because, in the midst of wanting to give my 100%, I often found myself working 7 days a week (including nights) just to meet all my deadlines. This went on for 5 months straight. Naturally, I was exhausted. Some nights, I struggled to fall asleep. Other nights, I had demonic dreams.
Soon, God’s promise began to seem almost sarcastic. REST felt like a WRESTLE each day.
But over the recent weeks, I’ve learned what it means to find REST in Him, even in the swirling chaos. It was the peace that He would sustain me and help me through it all, and that I wasn’t alone.
It wasn’t easy, but as I learned to re-surrender everything and trust in His timing, His process & His promise, I learned how to trust His good heart again. I’m excited to say that REST is on its way! I’m looking forward to finally catching a good break, slowing down, and starting creating again.
From Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith, sleep may not be Effective rest.
There are 7 types of resT you Need to know to restorative.
Which type of rest do you need right now?
Physical: Resting to relieve the body of physical stress, such as muscle tension, headaches, and a lack of sleep.
Mental: Resting to silence your anxious mind and refocus on the essential things
Sensory: Resting to diminish sensory input from devices, aromas, and background noise.
Creative: Resting to allow for beauty to inspire and motivate.
Emotional: Resting so you’ll be able to express genuine feelings and nix people-pleaser tendencies.
Social: Resting to recognize which relationships replenish and limit exposure to energy vampires and toxic people.
Spiritual: Resting to tune into your spiritual beliefs and higher power.
“Rest is not for weaklings. Hollowing out space for rest is work. Finding time for rest is the hands and feet of the promises we long to claim. It means saying no. It means having limits with ourselves. It means having limits with others. It takes courage to rest in the midst of an outcome-driven society. It takes strength to walk away from good in the pursuit of better.”
― Saundra Dalton-Smith, Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore Your Sanity
I agree that many of us are afraid to seek rest due to worldly perspectives. I used to be wary of my position and recognition at work whenever I take on a long vacay. Today, I am thankful that God goes before me as I walk bravely in the direction of my true identity in Christ rather than the title I worked for.
Perhaps there is wrong thinking that has influenced our lives for years. These days, it takes more courage to rest, intention permissions to interrupt busyness and productivity, to halt the demands from society overthrowing our need for a day-off.
Thus, I hope that through our testimonies. May you have faith to receive this heavenly peace, experience a relational journey that will ease you to your roots. Your true self, your identity in Christ, determines this recovery to living in peace and freedom.
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 NIV