Welcome back to our series on rest. Are you putting any of the suggestions into practice? ( Stay Tuned - We are going to partner with you soon in our Dare To Rest experiment).
So far we have discussed physical, mental and emotional rest , and our journey isn’t over yet. Even if we don’t experience rest regularly, we generally understand the basic concept of rest. But, I bet you didn’t realize there were so many facets of rest!
Today we are going to take an even deeper dive into some concepts of rest that may not be as familiar or, perhaps, not even as comfortable for you to consider. Today, I want to invite you into a conversation about spiritual rest.
To help you grasp the meaning of the word “spiritual,” I am going to draw from one of the core tenets of occupational therapy (OT) which includes spirituality as one of the central factors that influences a client’s performance and well-being. They define it as: “the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred.” (Puchalski, as cited in The OTPF, 3rd edition). Put more simply, our spirituality is what gives us meaning in our everyday lives.
While this aspect of humanity has been seen an integral part of life in many cultures worldwide, it is only recently that Western culture is returning to this idea in mainstream medical circles. Many studies are able to link spirituality to positive mental and physical health outcomes. So, as we consider this intangible, yet significant, dimension of ourselves, we must seek ways to find sanctuary and rest for our spiritual souls.
Just so you know where I am coming from, spiritual practice, or what I call faith, plays a significant part in my life. I believe in a God who is active and present in my life and live my life in light of that relationship based on Biblical principles. I understand that not everyone is at that place and I respect that. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or want to know more. Even if you are not there, please read on. I hope that you will find this discussion interesting and worth further consideration.
Are You Experiencing Brokenness?
Are you feeling disconnected? Wounded? Or lacking in purpose?
Maybe you have been hurt by someone and have become numb to protect yourself from being hurt again. Maybe you are feeling lost in the mundane chores of life and motherhood, wondering if there is more to this life. Have you been hanging out in a season of self-defeating thoughts? Perhaps you are grieving the loss of a loved one. We have almost all been affected by loss, illness, divorce, or emotional pain of some kind. This leaves us with aching hearts and wounded spirits. In other words, it leaves us broken.
But do not lose heart, there is hope for your wounded spirit. Striving for wholeness can be exhausting. Restoration and healing are within your reach. You are longing for spiritual rest. Let’s look at how you can find it.
How Do You Know If You Need Spiritual Rest?
It can be difficult to understand when we need spiritual rest. What does it feel like to have a tired spirit? Here are some signs* you might need spiritual rest:
You have lost your sense of hope and feel helpless, trapped, or defeated
You lack motivation for life and feel like it is a waste of energy
You feel far away from God
You are experiencing depression and hopelessness
You feel numb and apathetic
You don’t feel any sense of accomplishment and lack satisfaction
*From the book, Sacred Rest, by Saundra Dalton Smith, M.D.
If these sound like you, it’s time to find some spiritual rest so that you can find restoration and healing.
As I have said in my other posts on rest, if the symptoms above are getting in the way of your normal daily life patterns, you should seek professional help. Call a doctor or seek out a counselor who can walk with you through a healing process.
What Can You Do To Get Spiritual Rest?
Spiritual rest doesn’t have to take up your whole day. Here are some spiritually restful practices that I have found helpful that you can do everyday:
Spend time in prayer. Several studies conducted at Duke, Dartmouth, and Yale universities all found that people who pray regularly tend to get physically or mentally ill less frequently. If prayer is something you’ve never practiced, the book A Praying Life by Paul E. Miller is a great place to start. The Book of Common Prayer can also be a great template for prayers when you don’t know what to pray.
Meditate on Scripture or Personal Mantra. Meditating is simply making a deep focus or focusing your mind on something. Read a scripture or mantra multiple times. Think about what the words mean. Say it out loud. Hang it on your wall. Memorize it. These are all part of the practice of meditation. If you’re not sure where to start, the Psalms in the Bible are always a good place to begin.
Spend Time in Worship. Worship is recognizing God’s place of honor in our lives. Spend time thanking God for what he has created, the people in your life, or the things you have been given. Tell God of his greatness. Sing and/or listen to songs that renew your perspective.
Spend time in nature. You may have started to notice that spending time in nature turns up on many of the lists for finding rest.. I am a huge proponent of the fact that nature plays a key role in a rested spirit. Nature itself has its own rhythms of rest. I would even go as far as saying that if you spend time regularly in nature, you will find true spiritual rest.
If you are looking for some ways to find spiritual rest and you have more time, I suggest these:
Be Quiet. As a mom quiet may seem like a distant wish but with a little planning, I have confidence you can do it! For a lot of us, being quiet doesn’t sound like much to do. However, silence is a healing practice for your soul. In today’s culture, quiet has been devalued. We are always connected to something that adds to the noise - both literally and figuratively. Try to spend an hour in silence. If you are new to this practice, you may need to start out with a shorter period of time and build up to more time. Even five minutes of silence can feel impossible if you never experience silence (trust me, I know parenting has rarely been described as a silent activity). Like any new habit, it takes practice. Don’t give up if you find it difficult initially. Again, put away the devices.
Be Alone. This goes alongside being quiet. Take an extended period of time by yourself. This can be a great thing to do outside. Go on a walk or a hike. Put away any devices. Spend some time clearing your thoughts, focusing on gratitude, and examining your self-talk. Talk to God as you walk.
Attend a Worship Service. Being in community is spiritual. This is a great way to heal a broken spirit. If you don’t regularly attend a place of worship, ask a friend who does if you can go with them. (Notice that both being alone and being in community can bring rest to your spirit. A mix of both would serve you well.)
Read a Book about Spiritual Rest or Disciplines. There are so many books out there on these topics and you could learn so much about your spirit and taking care of it. A few books I recommend are:
Finding Spiritual Whitespace by Bonnie Gray
Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster
Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons
Spirituality is a huge topic and this discussion is only the beginning. Do you have someone in your life who embraces their spiritual side? Why not talk to them about it? They could be a great resource. Finding spiritual rest can feel daunting and uncomfortable if you have not practiced it, but I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and seek out some of these practices that bring rest and healing to your soul.
If you have questions about spiritual rest, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. My you find the rest your soul is long for!
