We live in a culture that runs at a frantic pace. Midlife women experiencing those exhausting midlife symptoms carry weighty loads: homemaking, ministry, caregiving for children and aging parents, and often jobs outside the home.
Fatigue and anxiety can feel like constant companions in a lifestyle that is not balanced. As stewards, we often talk about budgeting our finances, but shouldn't we budget our time? If we prioritized our time, I'm confident we'd cut out some activities and extend others.
Rest is God’s Design
From the beginning, God modeled rest. After six days of creation, He rested on the seventh (Genesis 2:2–3). He blessed and sanctified the day, not because He was tired, but because He knew we would be; he knew our limitations because he created us. I consider rest the 7th foundation of health God established in creation.
Even in the 10 Commandments, God reiterates the call to rest, using four verses to cover his explanations compared to 1 -2 verses for all of the others. I get the impression rest is essential when he uses words like sanctified, holy, and hallowed.
Tips For Creating a Time of Rest
Taking time to rest is the act of resisting our modern culture of constant hurry. In Mark 6:31, Jesus instructs the apostles to "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while:..." The idea of a desert place is a place of solitude.
Now, as soon as you say you're going to set aside some time for rest, there will be all kinds of people asking for your time. As stewards of his dwelling, rest is vital to our calling and service.
- The first and most important tip is to schedule it! Write it on the calendar with ink! Your reply to anyone who calls is, "We are already committed that day."
- Set aside your work; it will be there tomorrow. The word rest in the Strong's Concordance means to cease, desist from labor.
- Prepare a simple meal ahead of time to limit cooking time and clean up so you can enjoy resting. Have leftovers? Clean out the fridge, or here's my favorite fall chili recipe!
- Unplug from the screens so you can connect with family and focus undistracted. This is probably the hardest thing to do, but it is so beneficial.
- Nap! Rest your body, and renew your strength, but beware of the toddler tantrum that will flare up in your head, reminding you of all the things you need to do once it hears the word nap! Just ignore her!
- Delight your spirit by taking a simple walk in nature, like Adam and Eve did with God in the garden. Maybe catch up on some conversations you've been wanting to have with the Lord.
- Enjoy some laughter with the family; play a game, build a campfire, or have a sing-along. Please keep it simple, nothing that requires a lot of prep time.
The Health Benefits of Rest
A rested homemaker has a happier home and family. Modern research confirms what Scripture has long taught: rest restores immunity, lowers stress hormones, sharpens focus, and improves digestion when meals are taken more slowly. Anxiety lessens when our mind is rested.
We should thank the Lord for the gift of rest and ask him to help us order our home and hearts for rest and renewal, so that we may heal our weary bodies, calm our anxious thoughts, and serve the Lord with all our might. Resting once a week is not laziness; it is renewal!
Get the 7 Steps to Renewing Your Health guide to learn the other six foundations of health God established in the creation.
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