"Be Still & Know": Finding Rest Amidst the Chaos

"Be Still & Know that I am God." Psalm 46:10

We are in the midst of changing seasons and the busyness of the holidays, which can be such a joyful, but also, very chaotic experience. During this last quarter of the year, we can certainly find it hard to rest. As a mom, I am immersed in all things Fall. Pumpkin patches. Apple orchards. Birthday parties. Fall break. Rest typically isn't part of my vocabulary, especially during this time of the year...

But, during a recent trip to the ER for my toddler and spending the entire next day watching Disney movies and playing with trucks, I sat back to wonder, "Was God trying to tell me to slow down and rest before today?"

Why is it that it can take a catastrophic event like a trip to the ER for us to rest? For me, it’s usually sometime between exhaustion, forgetting an important event, and/or illness that takes me out. Makes me step back to see the bigger picture. To reset. To recharge my batteries and keep moving forward. 

After our little ER visit, there was no question whether I would take the to rest. My brain didn’t try to outweigh the pros and cons. No, we left the ER, en route to grab a Happy Meal, all the while I prepared for a restful next day with my most precious possession. 

In addition, while weeklong vacations are a great time to rest and reset, what about taking a day for you? Just a day to Be. Or what about taking a few minutes out of your day to rest or do something that brings you JOY? For me, it's a latte prepared by my favorite barista, Molly, while opening the windows and lighting fall scented candles. 

If you find it hard to rest, I love the self-compassion research by Kristin Neff, who talks about rooting yourself in your value system to find what brings you joy and self-compassion. We'll talk about an example of how to really dive deeper into your values system. 

In addition, if you haven't already, I reference the Calm app, which has many different meditations, soothing music, and time to just rest and Be still. 

My question to you is this, “When do you find you need to rest? And what can you do to realize you need to rest before you get to that point?” Friends, in this chaotic world, we need rest. A time to just Be. Join me in getting to that place before you HAVE to get to that place.