Tap Into The Rest That Brings Rewards This December.

While we are still in the busiest and yet resting month of the year, we might as well learn how to rest in a way that helps us grow. This type of rest is, in my opinion, quite challenging and requires us to actively return to that state of rest, as it is the type of rest that is the easiest to relapse from. Many times we hear the word rest, our minds gravitate to doing nothing, sleeping, and other ways people rest. This type of rest, however, thrives on our letting go of control. I like what Dr Anita Philips says, “You never had control, you had anxiety & the illusion of being in control”. If we don’t have the ultimate control in this world, why not just take a step back and rest?

I think this is the most appropriate time to discuss this kind of rest, as many people are experiencing emotional distress due to year-end reflection and planning for the upcoming year, due to goals that were not met. However,  if you approach the reflection and planning from a position of rest, it will yield results, and the cherry on top of the cake, you will not be left in a state of stress or worry. To illustrate this type of rest, let me share with you what happened a couple of weeks back.

The month of November was my birthday, and a friend of mine planned to take me for birthday breakfast. We picked the place and decided on the dress code. I picked out a dress for our date. I was pretty excited. The day before our date, she asked me to pick another outfit and not the dress I had initially picked out. I did give some resistance because I wanted to wear my dress, but she asked me to trust her. I stopped fighting back, and in all honesty, the truth is that in some moments, I didn’t get why she would make us suddenly change plans. I even started making secret plans for my dress ( I know I was excited about a dress, hahaha), maybe a solo date, I thought to myself. In the end, I just let go. Fast forward to the next day, we went for breakfast, and after that, she surprised me with a trip to a hidden gem for flower picking. And guess what? I got to wear my dress!! I wore it to some place better than what I expected.

Days after, as I reflected on the situation, I realized that it kind of resembled our relationship with God. He wants us to rest in him, trust in him with our lives. Unfortunately, many times we stay worked out, worried, anxious, and stressed trying to figure out tomorrow, but God looks at us and says, “ If only you would rest in knowing that I got you, my child”. The kind of rest we need in December is letting go of the control and being led by the Holy Spirit, even if we don’t understand. On this blog, we always talk about how the best personal growth journey is the one that is Holy Spirit-led. It is a journey to get to a point where we fully let go and rest in God.

Happy holidays, and remember to rest in the one who crafted your life. You can find some resources below to help you learn more about this type of rest.

tanyafungai