TAKE TIME TO RELAX.

It may be a cliché, but quite true. ‘Come apart, or you will come apart.’

Tucked away in Psalm 46 verse 10 the psalmist wrote, ‘Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth.’

How does that connect with a relaxing and enjoyable life? God created us as a three-fold being. Spirit. Soul. Body. Each affects the other. As we wisely use our faculties we honor our Creator God. It is interesting that the Psalmist says,’ Be still and know that I am God,’ rather than ‘Be as busy as you can for God.’

When I became reconciled to God through the price Jesus Christ paid for my sins on the cross, I was born from above by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. This privileges me as I honour, praise and respect Him as God’s daughter.

So sometimes the hard way, I learned that trying to please God by feverish activity, attempting to help everyone, setting unreasonable goals, I jeopardised my soul, which includes my mind, emotions and will. Through tiredness and over-achieving, these soul areas of my life became easily upset.

Unrealistic expectations of myself resulted in over-tiredness, tension, and almost burn-out , with feelings of either ’I must get this done‘ or ‘I don’t care.’ God created us to honour Him in every activity. These negative reactions affected the whole family. But I am grateful to God for the positive side.

When I accepted that I am not responsible for all God’s work, I became selective regarding activities. I realised that often saying ‘No’ to some speaking invitations is actually positive.

It also gave others, less pressured, the opportunity of service. A tense body and mind often block the enjoyment of God’s world and Word.

To relax and enjoy means resting, halting, gathering breath, pausing, taking respite, having recess ( a good reason for children to have a mid-morning school break), repose, breathing space, untwisting, unravelling, detaching , being unstrained.

Edith Schaeffer, wife of Dr Francis Schaeffer, Principal of L’Abri ( French for shelter ) hostesses their chalet in the snow-capped mountains of Switzerland. She cooked for dozens pf students and visitors daily. Despite her busy life, she always stopped for 12 minutes when she felt tired. Edith retreated to her room, and read for that time. ‘I always felt renewed’, she wrote.

Do not feel guilty to take off for a day. Relaxing takes the pressure from one’s body, especially when we can read, visit a park, walk through a Botanic Garden, calmly sit in the car, and watch the waves rolling in.

Harmonious music restores and relaxes the brain waves, with healing effect. Suitable videos are time well-spent. I enjoy the Dam Busters, Mrs Miniver, the sound of Music and those old-fashioned hymns backed with glorious scenery. It is so enjoyable to listen to music, and certainly time well used. After a busy period I spend several hours reading; especially the Bible and particularly the psalms.

God has given us all things richly to enjoy.

When God created the world, He rested on the seventh day. However, that does not mean that God was tired. He was entitled to look on his creation. He took time to enjoy the beauty of a perfect garden and the two people who were a reflection of Himself.

One of our sons-in-law regularly takes his family out bush , or to rain forests to photograph. When I enquire on their return, ‘Are you glad to be home?’ I usually note their reaction, ‘Mum, It is so awesome out there- away from the rush and bustle, where we enjoy the sunrises and sunsets, and observe fascinating bird and animal life.’ ‘All of God’s creation.’

A friend amazed me by her faint accusation,’ Do you think you should spend all day crocheting that bedspread?’ She implied that what I enjoyed as relaxation , she thought a waste of time, and quite unspiritual. To use colours created by God and fashion the wool into a gift for a granddaughter is healing, relaxing and enjoyable.

Everyone, of course, chooses how to spend time to refresh. The Lord Jesus often left the crowds to pray in the quietness of the mountains. No doubt HE tired with so many people milling about HIM. He was a man with similar feelings to us. Certainly, He was the God-man. But if He needed to retire from the busy crowds, so also do we. We can regularly detach ourselves, and enjoy whatever activities refresh and renew us, with no guilt attached.

Jesus often referred to flowers, water, trees, seeds, fruit, grapes, vines, bread, cattle, fish, mountains, lilies, light, the sea, stars, birds. Visit an Art Gallery to enjoy the paintings of such.

I am blessed as I think of ways I can relax and worship God and feel renewed to visit and enjoy the places which relate to Christ’s teaching. One’s heart draws to God as Creator, Redeemer. Friend.

While the body relaxes, the stress formerly placed upon it abates, the soul ( self ) returns to an even keel, refreshed and renewed, unravelled and unrestrained. Then the spirit leaps to express gratitude and worship to our God.