God’s Best Includes Rest

I looked at my planner one Summer morning this year and realized **once again** I had filled every single free moment each day with something. Monday was a meeting at school, Tuesday was a doctor’s appointment, Wednesday through Friday were flights and meetings for work, Saturday was research day for my new book, and Sunday had simply been penciled in, “Writing Day.”

(Now, because my book talks a lot about Jesus I totally convinced myself that writing on Sundays was an excuse not to take a Sabbath. 🙂

As I looked at those days, there didn’t seem to be a single thing I could take off my schedule. “What’s a busy working mom to do,” I asked myself. Immediately I remembered my devotional from that morning that said, “Rest one day.”

I don’t know how you interact with God, but sometimes I get a little bit sassy when I feel convicted about something, so I said, “That’s easy for you to say. You’re God. What do you suggest I take off my calendar?”

Of course, I know God isn’t going to order my calendar. He’s given me the ability to do that on my own. The secret to resting one day is to say no before every square on the calendar is filled up. It’s so hard for me, to be sure, and I imagine it’s a challenge for you.

But if we want God’s best, we have to make rest a priority. The scripture says, By the seventh day God finished the work he had been doing. It doesn’t say he finished all the work he would ever do.

God’s best includes rest. It really is that simple. On the seventh day, he rested from all his work. Do you take a sabbath, a day of rest? If not, what would it look like for you to really take a whole day off?

That’s your challenge this week, taking time off because God’s best always includes rest.

xo,

Alli

PS – In case you’re wondering, I combined research and writing on Saturday and on Sunday, I rested.