Do you have days when you look and feel like this…

I’ve written many posts lately about stinky moods and feeling as if running on empty. Not sure if I needed to pour these words into my own stinky mood and empty heart or if I see too many of my friends rushing through life causing them to look like the little girl above.

We feel as if drowning in projects and responsibility at work.

We rush through life from one activity to the other.

We give ourselves fully to those we love and care for at risk of our own depletion.

We rarely take time for ourselves.

Are you at risk of an ugly tantrum? I give you PERMISSION TO TAKE A NAP.

Or…do SOMETHING that provides rest and relaxation.

First things first, though…

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. {Matthew 11:28-29}

The rest for our souls that only Jesus can offer is a long lasting peace that we know He sees our weary heart and cares deeply. None of our life junk or stress scares our Lord away. No matter how badly we’ve messed up, no matter how we come to Him, Jesus desires for us to just come and find rest.

Once we’ve found true peace and handed over our stuff (regardless of the temper tantrum that looms) God blesses us with ways to physically restore our weary body and soul. Did you know that God Himself invented the nap? YUP…

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. {Genesis 2:3}

After six days of spinning the heaven and earth into its glorious existence, God took a rest.

Are naps not your thing?

Find SOMETHING that takes you away from the daily grind of life and work. Something that gives you joy and restoration.

While you are resting, rest assured that though God set the example on that seventh day of rest, HE IS STILL IN CONTROL. Because He holds the reigns, we are free to step aside and TAKE A NAP. No guilt for taking time to relax. No worries that the world will implode if you take a vacation day from work. To-do lists can be caught up on once we are rested and restored.

Go ahead, give yourself permission to TAKE A NAP!