There is something that we could all practice that could balance the health of our spirit, soul and body. Imagine doing one thing and achieving 3 objectives. The one thing our whole being needs to be in balance is rest.
Objective 1: Resting the body
Rest for the body is so necessary that a third of our day is designed to it. The optimal amount to sleep in a 24-hour cycle is between 7-8 hours. This is the same amount of rest needed for someone who wants to lose weight. Rest is good medicine for the body because it helps in various aspects of regeneration.
In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.
Psalm 4:8 NLT
Objective 2: Resting the soul
Rest for the soul is keeping silence and waiting. Whenever you expect to see something materialized in life, the soul becomes restless. And if there is something difficult for us to do is to wait in silence. That silence is the secret to rest the soul. It is not a passive silence. It’s the complete opposite. It is a silence of actively waiting on a God that acts in your favor. The soul can only rest in God:
Truly my soul silently waits for God; From Him comes my salvation.
Psalm 62:1 NKJV
Objective 3: Resting the spirit
Rest for your spirit is something especially reserved if you believe in God. A big difference between someone who believes in God and someone who does not is the spirit that is inside them. By accepting Christ in our hearts, the Holy Spirit resides in us. And from that moment that we accept His Son, God calls us to rest.
[…]For only we who believe can enter his rest. […] So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.
Hebrews 4:1-13 NLT
The challenge of resting
Rest is an easy thing to say but difficult to adopt and practice. I do not pretend to say that I have the exact solution for your unique situation because rest can look different for each person. However, we must all understand the importance of resting.
Overall, only by learning to rest will we be able to balance your health. This is a very important way to keep your spirit, soul and body in health.
Recommendation
For starters, I suggest you find a short devotional on the subject of rest. I found several on YouVersion. Just look for “rest” and there you will find one that you like. This is one I am following: Soul Rest: 7 Days to Renewal.
The important thing is to find a devotional that encourages you to do less! Yes, you read right! Do L E S S ! ! to rest more. The fact that it is short will prevent you from feeling burdened with something else that you have to do.
[KiwiClickToTweet tweet=”Your rest should not feel like nother chore!!” quote=”Your rest should not feel like nother chore!!”]
Soon we’ll talk about some practical ways to get rest. For the moment, think about what aspect of your being –spirit, soul and body– do you need to rest? And what could be some obstacles to achieve this rest?
