7.20.23 - Psalm 118:5
What are some of your most restful memories? Where do you need physical rest? Where do you have opportunities to offer others support so that they can rest?
Psalm 118:5
Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me in a broad place.
I have been reading about and pondering rest lately. How we feel the pressure to do MORE because the needs of the world and our communities never end. We are all so tired. Even when I come back from a lovely vacation, my mind is tired, my heart is tired, my bones are tired.
We need a deeper rest that we cannot achieve with self-care and vacation.
I love the picture that is painted here of calling out to the Lord in our distress, and being set in a safe place.
Susan Raffo writes about how, in order to deeply rest, our needs must be taken care of and we must feel protected from threats. In other words, we need community to catch us. We cannot rest on our own.
I had the true honor this weekend of showing up for a friend in physical distress and emergency. I was in awe of the place of immediate trust and openness that I and another friend entered in order to support her. The pretense was gone. We caught her. We cared for her, we sat by her while she slept, until she was well.
We must be vulnerable to rest.
We must let others provide for us to rest.
What are some of your most restful memories? When do you remember experiencing the most care? What can you learn from those moments?
Where do you need physical rest? Emotional rest? Spiritual rest? How might you ask for support so that you can?
Where do you have opportunities to offer others support so that they can rest?
--Theo Isoz