Rest: December 2024 Scripture Writing Plan

Nothing will change your perspective faster than a trip to the Emergency Room.

Although I am diligent about daily exercise, supplementation, nutrition, etc., I am not carful to regulate my stress levels. In the spring, I went into urgent care for chest pain and landed in the ER because the doctor suspected I might have been having a heart attack. I was skeptical. “A heart attack? Yeah, right! I’m too young for that!” After running me through a battery of tests, the doctor determined that I had not had a heart attack, but rather a panic attack. As I said, nothing changes your perspective faster than a trip to the ER (and a healthy serving of humble pie). I spent a few months praying and reflecting.

Why did I have a panic attack?

Was it a small symptom of a larger problem?

What did I need to change?

My daughter had been encouraging me for months prior to my ER trip to check out a book she had learned about at summer camp titled, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. I finally made time to read the book and it was eye-opening. I knew I was a “busy person,” but until that point, I had not recognized how much I took pride in the “busy” nor how unhealthy it was. My attention was particularly drawn to how Jesus himself made time to break away from the hectic pace of his work in order to pray and refresh.

If you and I are followers of Jesus, shouldn’t we be imitating His example, including His example of rest?

When you read about Jesus in the New Testament, do you get the sense that he was easily flustered or “too busy” to take care of the people around Him? I never do. He always seems calm in every storm (literally and figuratively). Think about Him on the way to heal Jairus’ daughter. (This was one examples the author touched on in the book referenced earlier). Jairus was in a hurry, but Jesus was not. When a woman sought to touch His garment in order to be healed, He stopped in the middle of this rush to Jairus’ house in order to meet the need of her soul. Jesus was never too busy or too hurried, but I suspect that most of us are because we aren’t marking what Jesus did.

My fellow busy Christians: It’s time to reassess our habits and follow the example of our Teacher.

Because of the hectic pace of the holidays, it seemed timely to reflect on the importance of rest. Rest does not mean isolating yourself with your phone, nor does it mean tossing aside all your obligations. Here are some things to consider regarding rest:

1. Rest involves carving out time to sit quietly with the Lord in prayer.
2. To rest effectively is to take a look at the calendar with wisdom and learn to say, “no,” in order to be less hurried and worried.
3. Turn off your notifications on your phone when praying or reading the word (you may also have to take off your smart watch).
4. Rest is permitting your mind, heart, and body a chance to repair themselves. We cannot do this if we are bombarding them constantly.

In this month’s plan, we are going to consider a few things:

1. God established the Sabbath in the Old Testament in order to encourage His people to rest.
2. Jesus’ example of rest
3. Jesus’ promise of rest (this includes a peaceful heart as well as rest when this life is over)
4. Choosing to rest

The Lord encourages us to work and to rest. As you read through the scriptures this month, trying changing your perspective. Consider what habits you can change in order to be more present in mind and peaceful in heart like Jesus. I hope you’ll join us as we focus on this concept!

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Special thanks to my sisters in Christ, Liz Smith and Sara McBroom, who provide their wisdom and support each month with these plans.