Whether you’re stuck streaming Netflix or chasing kids, beginning to find rest can be as easy as stepping away from your circumstances, slowing your pace, and turning your heart for a moment to gain perspective. In this simple act, we recognize our limits, and create an opportunity to (re)connect with God to then better (re)engage in our circumstances.

Even while we’re forced to rest during shelter-in-place, it’s been surprising how tough it can be to enter into true Rest.

We’re seeing how easily things that bring enjoyment, family time, cleaning, zoom games, organizing, movies, or even “ just having nothing to do”, doesn’t automatically produce rest in our souls. In fact, during this shelter-in-place, these seemingly restful activities can lead to a sort of restlessness.

During grad school, one of our requirements was to go on a 48-hour personal retreat each semester. As we implemented this practice, we started glimpsing the value of stepping away from our circumstances in the beginning of new transitions/stages. Whether a new job, situation, semester, vacation, or even a social get together, we learned the wisdom of stepping away, surveying the land, and taking inventory of our hearts.

We’re just not always able to estimate the correct amount of emotional, spiritual, relational, or even physical energy that a given situation will demand. Especially during new, unpredictable situations like this shelter-in-place, all our internal calculations need constant reevaluation, and if we’re not allowing ourselves to take a moment away to breathe, rest, and get some perspective, then we can actually burn-out our capacity to instantaneously adjust. Constantly adapting to these fluctuating circumstances requires intentional recuperation. Wisely withdrawing for a moment from a given situation can go huge lengths to restoring our souls and (re)engaging in life-giving ways.

It is so helpful to have space for rest. And in this elongating season of shelter-in-place, we as a culture need to (re)learn about true Rest. Practicing true Rest allows you to jump into activity, take note of surroundings, then step away to recalibrate, get your bearings, and survey the land. 

True Rest plans for, and/or takes advantage of, moments to receive and reassess your heart and God’s involvement. This can be as simple as stepping outside your home, going on a walk, stepping into the bathroom, enjoying at the sunset, or just taking a few deep breaths. So now that it’s been a couple weeks of shelter-in-place, we invite you to step away for a moment with these questions below…

Reflection Questions:

• What has been going well during this time?

• What has been Challenging?

• Where am I seeing God?

• What do I anticipate in the coming WEEKS?

• What needs adjustment?

• What would it look like for me to find true Rest in this season?