You might never have noticed, but alongside an image of Christ the words: “I will give you rest” are carved over the doors of Luther Memorial Church, next door to the LCM Student Center on University Avenue. In the 1920s, when Luther Memorial was a congregation made up mostly of university students, it was these words from scripture that they chose to greet the thousands of students who walk the church’s doors each day.
The last couple of weeks on campus have seemed to get people down a bit. Midterms, cloudy weather and shorter days, and exhaustion seem to be setting in, and all of us could use a little bit of rest.
Last week, someone shared an article and TED talk with me about rest. It suggests that rest isn’t just one thing, but rather that there are seven distinct types of rest that we need as humans. We need physical, mental, sensory, creative, emotional, social, and spiritual rest. That’s why sometimes when we’re tired, taking a nap or binge watching Netflix doesn’t seem to help.
This week, consider trying out one of these kinds of rest. Maybe it will help you feel a little bit better:
- Physical – take a nap or do some gentle stretching
- Mental – take a 10 minute study break after an hour
- Sensory – turn off some of the notifications on your phone
- Creative – doodle, color, or take a walk outside
- Emotional – tell someone how you’re really feeling
- Social – call someone who knows you well and loves you
- Spiritual – pray or meditate
No matter what kind of break you need, know this: God loves you just for being you, not because of what you produce or achieve. With open arms, Jesus invites you to rest in the knowledge that you are loved. Take care of yourself this week.
Recent Comments