My younger days of being a lifeguard were pretty grueling and long. There were shifts I’d work 10 hours out in the basking sun. Exhausted and tired.
To tired for company I’d often stumble home, grab a quick something to eat and fall into bed. No need for pajamas. No need.
The alarm would sound in the far recesses of my mind.
I think this is when I became a pro at hitting the snooze button over and over. By the end of the week, the fun and sun had gotten the best of me. It was hard to get up. My soul needed rest.
As I’d force myself to go through the motions to get back to the pool, somewhere along the way I would fully awaken. Stepping out in the fresh morning dew and watching the sun rise over the city helped me breathe.
There was no better feeling than arriving at an empty pool. Quiet, nothing humming but the sound of the pump and a few birds chirping off in the background. The clinking of the chained locks being unlocked echoed through the morning and still echo through the memory of my mind.
Peace settled in.
From a tired, exhausted body to a refreshed being in 45 minutes. There is something about taking time to be in the early morning. Hearing the world awake from it’s slumber and the birds sing out their morning songs usher in pure calm to a weary soul.
The Bible says, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” (Luke 5:16 NIV) This was a habit with Jesus and it needs to become a habit in our lives to experience pure rest and receive fuel for our soul.
Maybe you can’t sneak away to a pool in the early morning, but you can put your phone on silent and remove as many distractions as possible to bathe in the silent freshness of a new day. Jesus says, “Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” (Matthew 6:6 MSG)
Sense His grace.
As you run through this chaotic life trying to rescue and help others, you will often find yourself exhausted and weary. Your mind will tell you you aren’t good enough and that you really don’t know what you’re doing. A tired mind plays tricks on you and feeds your wrong information.
Being diligent about finding rest is the only sure way to know you can run for the long haul.
Rescues are tiring. They are exhausting.
God created a day of rest for you, so you can be refueled to rescue others. [tweet that]
What can you do today to sense God’s grace and fresh energy?