By Lois Hewitt

If you have ever read anything I have written, you know I use my experiences as the examples in my writing.  I always feel like, I hope anyway, someone can learn from my mistakes and mishaps.

Also I am at a place in my life where everything has a lesson to be learned. And I like to pass them on to anyone that might need it.

This post is no different but the point, which I will eventually get to, is one I hope everyone heeds.

The last few months I have been dealing with a medical condition. It has been constant and still is actually.

But I felt that I needed to continue getting all my tasks done, not missing work (not much anyway) and just keep going.

Tuesday I had a procedure that meant I was going to have to take it easy for the rest of the week.

Let me tell you the difference is night and day. Just taking some guilt-free time and taking care of myself. I feel so good.

It made me realize that many times I’m like Martha (of Mary and Martha).  Doing, doing and doing with a sense of obligation.  Putting absolutely unnecessary pressure on myself to “get it all done.” 

You see, if I really relaxed, I would feel such guilt about all the things not done (like cleaning baseboards and other fairly unimportant things).  So even if I was “resting” I was not recuperating because of the guilt.  I simply felt like I was lazy.

I talk about living intentionally but I was just walking through it. I learned a while back that the title “The Walking Dead” was not referring to the zombies but the people who were still alive.

That’s how these last few months felt to me. I was the walking dead.  No joy.  No peace. Just tired. Just anxious.  I could not shake it.

Then Tuesday I came home from the doctor full of anti-anxiety meds and slept that rest of the day and all night.

Something reset in my brain and I woke up different.  The physical problems were the same but I felt different.

Yesterday I slowly did a few tasks and did them with joy. I hummed a bit and danced a step or two.

Here is my point my friend and I am saying this to myself too.

Stop reliving the past.  Take the lessons learned and leave the past in the rearview mirror.  Don’t allow the regrets and the guilt of the past to steal the joy and peace from today.

Jesus came to earth as fully man and fully God.  He came to change the world but not in the way many thought. He came to offer salvation to the sinner.  He came to offer redemption to the unredemable.  He came to offer eternal life with Him.  His blood cleaned you and me.

Guilt and remorse are not gifts from Him. Joy and peace are His gifts.  When the world was created God set aside a day to rest. Rest with peace not anxiety. Rest with joy, rest full of praise for His blessings.

If I can stress one lesson I have learned in life, it is to rest. Rest in His comforting arms.  Rest in His peace which is like no other.  Rest in Him for He has done all the hard work for us.  Let’s sit at His feet like Mary and soak it all in.

No more do I want to just get by.  I want joy as I do the dishes and fold the laundry. I want joy as I clean the bathroom.  I want my hands to have joy as I cook a meal. 

Then when it’s time to rest, I will be able to experience the rest that only Jesus can give. I pray that for you also.

We are running a race called life.  My race began poorly and I proceeded to stumble all along the way. But I want to finish the race with strength and courage from Jesus. I may not have the “best time” in this race but I want to finish with victory from Jesus.

I pray for your rest. May it revitalize your body and soul. May your rest bring you peace unknown in the world.  May you heal from the past. May the pain start to disappear. May you find the place in Jesus’ arms that nourishes you.  It’s there, all you need to do is ask.

Rest well, my friend.