R.E.S.T. changes everything.
That’s a pretty big statement. My wife and I typically shy away from all-inclusive declarations. Or at least we try to… Most of the time.
“You never clean your room.”
“She’s always late.”
“He never listens.”
“Our whole life is falling apart!”
In the heat of the moment, those all-inclusive statements can feel empowering. But there’s a really good chance they’re not true.
At least once they cleaned their room. Or showed up early. Or listened well.
And while some aspects of our lives may be falling apart, I bet upon further review other aspects are humming along beautifully.
At Oasis Rest, we define R.E.S.T as:
Retreat
Encouragement
Safety
Transformation
So does R.E.S.T. really change everything?
I say, yes!
To be a bit scientific, let’s try the inverse.
Try arguing with your spouse when you are dog-tired and tell me how that goes.
Try building intimacy when you never spend intentional time alone with someone.
Try encouraging someone on an empty tank.
Try being vulnerable with someone you don’t trust.
Try planning for the future when you’re on the edge of burnout and share with me your hope-filled vision.
Those are obvious exercises in futility and yet so many of us approach life thinking we can pour from an empty cup.
R.E.S.T. takes a high degree of humility.
Retreat means stopping what you’re doing, surrendering for a moment, and intentionally carving out time and space to simply be with God.
Encouragement means listening to God’s word for yourself, opening up your heart to the wisdom of others, and allowing yourself to be poured into.
Safety means having people with whom you can be transparent and vulnerable. Judgment-free zones of honesty, and hope. Where you can confess sin, share success, and sit with suffering.
Transformation means that you’re being changed, from glory to glory. That you are not who you once were. That you are a son or daughter of the most high God. That you have been bought with a price. That you have been created for good works. That you have a hope and a future. And that all things are possible.
When those elements are foundational in your life, the argument with your spouse plays out differently. That intimacy with God and others is deeper. That encouraging word is readily accessible because you’re filled up. That sin or past suffering doesn’t so easily entangle because you have people to process with. That eye towards the future for your family, your ministry, your mission, or your business is filled with Spirit-fueled faith because if God is for you, who can be against you?
R.E.S.T. changes everything.
All the time.