During pregnancy, I had been told many times of the tiredness that would come with being a new mother. Many well meaning women would tell me, “sleep while you can!” or “make sure you take quiet time now—you won’t get any once the baby is born.” 

As an introvert, I found that these words caused anxiety in me. I deeply value quiet time and rest. 

Once my son was born, I realized that I would have to change the way I approached rest. My previous understanding of rest included sleep, silence, being alone, and various “self-care” activities. As I found myself lacking in sleep, my ears full of baby noises, holding my little one and with barely enough time to shower, I realized that the rest I could find might have to look different. 

On this quest for rest, I found myself picking up a book by Wayne Mueller entitled Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives. Immediately, I was drawn to how the author speaks of rest as a state of being, where the mind, body, and soul are refreshed in the right relationship with God, others, and itself. This sort of deep rest is not dependent on outward circumstances such as a silent room, or a body that is still. Rather, this kind of rest is found by focusing on the interior knowledge that God is with us. 

As I looked deeper into this definition, I found myself less anxious about finding alone time where I could sleep, or pray, or do whatever activities I had previously understood as restful. I turned to the verses in the Bible where the word rest arises, and I found myself deeply comforted. 

When the Israelites were preparing to enter the Promised land of Cannan, God told Moses, “[m]y Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Exodus 33:14) 

He was not promising alone time, silence, or anything like that. In fact, the Israelites were heading into a time of great peril. By promising rest, God was assuring His people that His presence would be with them, and that they would find rest and refreshment in doing what He has called them to do. 

No matter what stage of life we are in, we can enter into God's rest. We do not have to wait for vacation, or for the weekend to lean into him. 

But it can be difficult to enter into this rest when our external circumstances are busy, loud and relentless. So how can we actually attain this promise of refreshment? 

Simply, Jesus says: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:28-30) 

It is by being in His presence that we can find rest. As I held my crying newborn at 1:30 AM, I found myself able to close my eyes and focus on my inner state, knowing that Jesus was with me. Instead of fighting my circumstances, I tried to lean into them.  Even though I wasn’t getting enough sleep, I felt my body, mind and spirit relaxing in His presence. 

Wherever you are, I encourage you to close your eyes for just a moment and invite Jesus to bring you into the rest he has for you, here and now, whatever may be going on around you. 

May your soul be refreshed.