In 2016 I ran the Nashville Rock N Roll Marathon. It was my first full marathon and I trained my butt off for it. I did all the things. Ran hard, fueled hard, researched and did sooooo much math (If you've ever run any distance of anything, you know your math skills are constantly being challenged.). I finished. It was dangerously hot and they called the race before many even had a chance to finish. But, thanks to my super handsome long boarding husband, who rolled up next to me to encourage and give me sips of water, I finished. I didn't enjoy even one step of that race. I hated it. I hated everyone around me. And most of all, I officially hated running. I had worked myself to the bone and forgot one key ingredient to an amazing race day finish. Rest.
I forgot to rest. And because I didn't rest and recover, I wasn't able to enjoy the work I had put in. I ran that race with my head low and my heart anxiously rung as my mind did the math. Well, maybe if I ran the next 10 miles at a 5 minute/mile pace, I might come close to my goal. HA!
Fast forward to 2019. I had trained for another marathon. This time I would take 80 minutes off of my previous race time and surpass my goal time of 4 hours, with a smile on my face. Seriously, I smiled the whole race. I loved every step. The key ingredient to this sweet success? Rest.
I was able to run the race well because my mind and body consistently experienced rest. My body moved joyfully through the hard runs because it knew rest was coming. My body relented as I pushed just a little harder, because it was moving from a place of rest, not exhaustion.
Did you know that God calls us to rest? Not as a gift to us, but as a command.
This is so hard for me. I revert back to marathon #1 living more frequently than I'd like to admit. I work, work, work, to earn my rest. I feel shame and guilt when I take time away from my family, laundry, work, etc. in order to refuel and rejuvenate myself. Even though when I come back from a refreshing rest, I am a better mom, a better wife, a better human! I am rested in order to pour out again, with joy!
So, why do we feel that we need to earn rest, when it is God Himself who calls us to do this? We can blame The Fall, we can blame our upbringing, or even our society norms. But truth is, the enemy of our hearts knows that when we rest, we are gearing up for the battle of life in a way that turbo boosts our ability to shine our lights as Jesus followers. So, of course he riddles us with guilt and shame. When we rest, we remind him that he will lose/is losing.
I know it seems impossible to take the moments. To sit down and exhale without beautiful little dirty hands reaching for you to hold them, give them a snack, play trash trucks (maybe this ones just for me). And I know the guilt you feel momma, for not being able to "do it all". But I wonder, how much further we could go, how much more we could be, and how much more joy we could experience while we run this race of life, from a place of REST.
Meditate on one or more of these verses.
Ask God how He may be calling you to live out the command to rest.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. -Psalm 23:2-3
And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all His work of creation. -Genesis 2:3
Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. -Exodus 20:8-10
And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest. -Exodus 33:14
I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the LORD sustains me. -Psalm 3:5
In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety. -Psalm 4:8
Love always,
Jessica
Running buddies. :)