Embracing RestSample

SOCIAL REST

Social rest comes from the wisdom to recognize the impact of relationships. There are those relationships that revive us, and there are those that exhaust us. No man is an island, even if we want to be. We cannot exist without others. There is power in a social community.

As Christians, 1 Cor. 6:15 reminds us that we are all part of the body of Christ. We are each uniquely gifted with different functions to bless and serve others. God has equipped us to work together for the greater good. This breeds fellowship with one another. As a community, we can advance God’s kingdom, encourage each other, build each other up, and help bear each other’s burdens. These types of social relationships are life-giving.

On the other hand, we must take time to reflect and define what our current social networks look like for our own health and well-being. Are they life-giving? Encouraging? Edifying? Many of us crave social connection but can also be overstimulated or burdened by such. Also, we must remind ourselves that social media screens do not bring genuine connections. Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time and a season for everything under the sun; time for social engagement and time for social rest.

In the great scheme of social connecting, a few certain relationships are beneficial in our Christian community. Advantageously, we seek a mentor—someone who has gone ahead of us whereby they can share experiences and broaden our perspective, like the apostle Paul was to Timothy (2 Timothy 1). It is also useful to have someone who knows your current life intimately and can pick up on what you might need in an emergency—a friend that sticks closer than a brother (Prov 18:24).

Let’s all be wise and choose our social connections carefully in order to thrive.

PRAYER:

“Lord, You designed each of us to be in a relationship, first with You and then with those around us, our neighbors. Your design for creation came through humans and family groups. You also encourage us to gather in fellowship with others. However, people can often exacerbate, irritate, and exhaust me. I love people one minute, and they drive me nuts the next. Open my eyes to the realization of Your purposes for social rest. Teach me that relationships with others are to be life-giving as you call us “to build and encourage others” and to “let nothing come out of our mouths that doesn’t encourage and build the ears that hear.” Teach me to be a life-giving friend, spouse, parent, and neighbor. Help me learn Your ways for healthy relationships and the social rest that I need.”