SELAH | Defining Rest In The Age Of ProductivitySample

Hope in the Lord. 

Several years ago, scientists conducted a study to see how hydration affected endurance in runners. They split their experiment into three groups: Runners who drank water only before and after running, runners who drank water when they felt thirsty, and runners who drank water when they were told to (about every 20 seconds). The first group tired almost ten minutes before they reached the 20-minute time limit. The second group made it exactly to the time limit before tiring out. The third group ran 20 minutes longer than the limit, because they were taking in water when scientists’ determined their bodies naturally started to run low, long before they felt thirsty. 

Sometimes we like to see rest as a segment of our lives, something we save vacation days for or something we do after our day is over. Rest doesn’t have to live within what time we have left after a busy day or a busy year—rest can be as simple as stopping what we’re doing and listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. 

Today, stop and listen to this: As we continually trust Jesus with our time and our thoughts, our strength is renewed—just like a runner who is continually hydrated. When we incorporate rest with Jesus into the daily hum of our lives, instead of saving it for when we’re tired or when we have time, we live in a place of continual strength. 

Let your relationship with the God strengthen you as you live out the callings He has for you. When life becomes too much to handle, take time to stop and to listen.

Selah.