Rest

After spending a semester learning about, but more importantly, practicing Sabbath, I thought I was getting pretty good at resting.  How silly of me.  It's through this extended period of rest, my month away from seminary, that I really can see just how restless I am.

Part of this comes from my seemingly insatiable need to be in the next place.  Each place, each person I've seen over this break has been lovely, but I always seem to want the next thing.  If I have a day of quiet, I want to be out with friends.  If I have some time with my friends, I want to be with my family.  And so on.  With that mentality, I've done a lousy job of resting.

Through this, I've thought more about what really brings rest. True rest seems to me to be a gospel message. Rest comes from stopping and really believing that the love of God that comes to us exactly where we are.  I am reluctant to stop and receive this.  I am bad at believing that I am okay as I am.  But God persistently offers this grace.  That is a gift that goes far beyond time off from school used on watching hours of netflix.

Despite my best efforts, this vacation time has at times been relaxing.  But I value it more for this lesson of how to rest in truer ways.  I hope to return to seminary not just well-rested, but better at receiving rest while I'm there.  You know the phrase, "You can sleep when you're dead?"  Enough of that.  I will sleep tonight, because that's what my body needs.  I will even try to close my eyes to stop from looking to the next thing.

Vacation has been a great respite.  But rest, true rest, is offered by God through Sabbath and grace.  For that, I am grateful.