Devotion: How to Find True Rest without Taking a Vacation

Summer begs for the tagline “vacation.” Summer vacation—doesn’t that sound good? I’m the child of two travelers, and our summer vacations were epic. Each year my dad pulled out Mobil Travel Books for us kids to help choose a destination and accommodations. We had one super sophisticated requirement in our rubric: the hotel had to have a pool. Slides garnered extra credit, and amusement parks tipped the scale with major bonus points. My parents required the destination to have some combination of historical significance and proximity to good shopping. Because of this hybrid, we have been to more than forty of the United States, where we visited several national parks, toured numerous historical sites, shopped in some of the quaintest areas imaginable, and most notably, slid down some of the most amazing hotel pool slides.

Although we chose destinations with features to satisfy both mind and spirit, the trips weren’t always restful. In fact, they almost never were. We packed activities into every available minute. We spent nearly all our car time playing the license plate and alphabet games repeatedly while my parents took turns driving the family station wagon hundreds of miles a day. We drew names for the coveted rear-facing bench seat in the far back—child safety be darned! But once we arrived, we needed to buckle up for safety. The gas pedal was way down so we could see as many sights as possible before we packed up and drove to the next stop.

Could we see everything on our long list all in one trip? Yes! Yes, we could! We raced from one destination to the next because, after all, we had come all this way! We definitely had fun, and some of my sweetest childhood memories are from our many family vacations. But we did not rest. Rest doesn’t automatically happen just because you’re on a vacation, and it certainly doesn’t happen accidentally at home. But it is so important to make time for it.

When a vacation, restful or otherwise, isn’t in the works, we still need to make time for rest. Rest is in God’s Top Ten list of what to aim for—remembering the Sabbath day (rest) is one of the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:8). He obviously knew we would need rest, and I imagine he commanded it because he knew we wouldn’t stumble upon it unintentionally. Just as we plan for a getaway, so should we plan for times of replenishment.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matt. 11:28 NIV)

We can take a break without ever packing a suitcase or leaving home. One of the many names for Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. Not only did he create it, but he is our Sabbath, our rest. In him alone do we find a breather from our strife. In the Old Testament, the Sabbath was recognized as a day to stop working, but also as a time to stop striving to meet the demands of the Law, a labor that knew no end.

The original Hebrew meaning for Sabbath is  “to rest or stop or cease from work.” Friends, God endorses time off. We don’t have to plan a trip or even an entire day to take a time-out from what burdens us. We only need to spend some intentional time with the Lord of the Sabbath.

Author Mark Twain said, “If you have no time to rest, it’s exactly the right time.”

Though the days feel longer with sunset pushed deep into warm summer nights, extra free time isn’t always reflected on our calendars. But this is precisely why we need to fit in some respite to maintain balance in our days. With some forethought, we can sneak in time to find true rest. It may be just a few minutes of quiet before the household wakes up or reflective time under an umbrella while the kids play outside. Even just a moment of pause to focus on God’s love for us and his care for the details of our lives is restorative. When we sit quietly and read the Bible, listen to worship music, pray, and listen, we are renewed.

[Tweet “Rest is within reach every season, if only we’ll seek the One who gives it freely.”]

Father, thank you for providing your peace and rest when we come to you. We need the break. Remind us of the value in taking time for true rest in you whether we’re at home or traveling. Thank you for being with us through every journey and season and offering our hearts rest in your presence. Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

“My soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” (Ps. 62:1–2 NIV)

Reach for More

Dear friends, you are worthy of a break. Sometimes life moves at such a hurried pace that we feel as though slowing down is a cop-out or impossible. But God knew running full speed ahead would not be sustainable for any of us. Take time this week to find true rest in him. Wake early or stay up late to snatch some solitude with God. Meditate on this psalm. Be encouraged, and know that he will see you through whatever this season holds for you.

Please, come back and leave a comment telling us about how God spoke to you this week, or share your progress on social media using the hashtag #tgtreachformore. We would love to hear from you.

Melinda Mattson will follow any sign that leads to the promise of vintage décor and repurposed treasures. As a wife and mom to two dear daughters, her home is filled with equal measures of sugar and spice. She loves kindness and Jesus and is glad they’re meant to come as a package deal. She aims to embrace both with equal fervor. Melinda blogs at www.melindamattson.com.

Photograph © Bethany Beams, used with permission