One: Needful Rest

It's no surprise that many Christians are lethargic and physically drained, at times. More often than not, they're running on coffee, no-dose pills, and maybe (just maybe) 5 hours of good sleep. Unfortunately, one can't continue to go on just like the energizer bunny beating their drum to everyone's beck and call.

"Take the kids here, get the groceries there, be at the meeting then, etc." We're not machines, you know, but flesh and blood people, and even top quality machines eventually wear out after awhile. I do understand that we want to be used by God and for His purposes. I also realize that many want to be perceived as reliable, dependable, and faithful. I'm even aware of the fact that (in some small way) we want to be ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE. You know, that 'never say die attitude' or that 'never say NO demeanor.' But, the real fact of the matter is that we're able to do only so much before becoming burnt out.

In actuality, to be OPTIMALLY, EFFECTIVELY used by God on a continual basis, OUR REST MATTERS. That's right---our rest. And, it matters a whole lot more than we may think. Not only do we need rest, but we need proper rest.

Researchers at the University of Warwick and University College London have found that lack of sleep can more than double the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, but that too much sleep can also be associated with a doubling of the risk of death, though not primarily from cardiovascular disease. Professor Francesco Cappuccio said, "Short sleep has been shown to be a risk factor for weight gain, hypertension, and Type 2 diabetes, sometimes leading to mortality; but in contrast to the short sleep-mortality association, it appears that no potential mechanisms by which long sleep could be associated with increased mortality have yet been investigated. Some candidate causes for this include depression, low socioeconomic status, and cancer-related fatigue... In terms of prevention, our findings indicate that consistently sleeping around seven hours per night is optimal for health, and a sustained reduction may predispose to ill health."
Furthermore, sleep difficulties are closely associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression, alcoholism, and bipolar disorder. Up to 90% of adults with depression are found to have sleep difficulties. Bottom line, God is a strong advocate for resting. We all know He rested on the 7th day from all His work denoting it as a Sabbath for us. Hebrews 4 is dedicated almost entirely to the concept of rest. And, Psalm 127:2 reveals how good sleep is a way of God showing off some of His love towards us. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy sound sleep and needful rest. You'll be ever glad you did!