The Revolution of RestSample

REST AS A SPIRITUAL RHYTHM

Take a deep breath. You made it.

You’ve journeyed through the Revolution of Rest and learned to resist what culture tells us is normal. It's my prayer that you have welcomed rest into your life. You’ve paused. You’ve sloooooooowed down, even if just for the time it takes to read these devotionals. Although our journey through the Revolution of Rest ends here, this revolution can continue in your own life as a spiritual rhythm.

This may be a daily, weekly, or more seasonal rhythm. The struggle lies in maintaining spiritual rhythms when our routines change. There is a temptation to remove rest from our calendars as we enter a new season, pushing it aside to be replaced with work, family obligations, or opportunities. The very thing we are tempted to remove is what sustains us through it all. Rest as a spiritual rhythm requires that God comes first no matter the season.

Elisabeth Elliot says it this way, “If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to him and ask him to indicate which items we must delete.”

You can experience freedom in knowing that no matter what your daily, weekly, or seasonal routine is, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NIV). The truth is, God is with you and loves you unconditionally no matter your rhythm, no matter what season you’re in.

In every season, continue to resist the hustle of the world around you. Continue to believe that success can be slow. Resist the fear of looking lazy, knowing that intentional rest is not a waste of time. Resist the temptation of legalism, knowing that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27 NIV). Lean in to the rhythm of your current season as a way to find freedom and rest!

REFLECTION:

1. How has your understanding of your rhythms of rest evolved throughout this journey through the Revolution of Rest?
2. Are you more inclined towards a daily, weekly, or seasonal rhythm, and why?
3. In what ways can you incorporate the concept of rest as a spiritual rhythm into your daily, weekly, or seasonal routines? Are there specific practices that resonate with you?

GUIDED PRAYER:

"Rest as a Spiritual Rhythm" was written by Hannah Rowen Fry.

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