The lack of __________ causes, fatigue, all kinds of serious health issues even death, depression, moodiness, impairs your judgment, makes you accident prone, causes skin damage, weight gain, forgetfulness, hallucinations and a loss of libido to mention some. Do you suffer from any one of these conditions? The lack of ________ over time will negatively impact you physically, emotionally and spiritually. The lack of _______ will eventually hurt and destroy even your most important relationships. Lack of rest.

Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. – Mark 6:31

We live in such a fast-paced world that we can hardly find time to rest. No one had a busier, more urgent and more important agenda then Jesus, after all He was responsible for saving the entire world! Yet he found time to rest, and he also taught and invited His disciples to rest. Do you know why? Because in order to be your best you must rest. The opposite of resting is being busy and a busy schedule that doesn’t allow you time to rest will not only impact you physically but it will eventually have a negative impact on all of the relationships in your life. You show me someone that is so busy that they don’t have time to rest and I will show you someone who’s heading towards disaster in his or her relationships. It’s the workaholic father who is busy working to be a provider but doesn’t have time for those for which he provides. It’s the busy housewife who cooks and cleans for her husband and children but is too busy to actually spend time with them. It’s the person that is so busy that they can’t find time to spend with their friends. I see this at times in my own life where I can become so busy serving God that I run out of time to spend with God.

So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who enter into God’s rest will find rest from their labors, just as God rested after creating the world. Let us do our best to enter that place of rest. For anyone who disobeys God, as the people of Israel did, will fall. – (Hebrews 4:9-11)

It seems like for most people today spending quality time with God and the people they love has to be on the run, in the car going from one place to another. There’s nothing wrong with spending time with God and your loved ones in the car, but rest is much more than sleeping, rest is also scheduling non-rushed time to spend with those you love. Our relationships grow and strengthen through rest but they weaken and die through busyness.

Psalms 23:1-2 NLT
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures…

Its simple, rest is more than simply sleeping; rest is finding non-hurried time to spend with God and your loved ones.

Heavenly Father, forgive me for every time I load my schedule so much that I have no time for anything and help me relax as you show me in your Word, not only because when I don’t rest I destroy my mental and physical health, but also the most important relationships in my life, including my relationship with you.