Be Good to Your BodySample

RHYTHMS OF REST

When I was younger, all I wanted was to attain big goals. I believed the idea that I could “have it all.” But that mindset, and what I put my body through to get there, eventually hurt my health tremendously.

Our modern society has trained us to build our lives around work, rather than building work around our lives. One of the best things we can do for our bodies is become aware of that fact and make simple shifts to slow down, set boundaries, and create rhythms of rest.

The Creation account reminds us that God created us to rest rhythmically and regularly. Genesis 1:5 (ESV) says, “God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.” In verse 14, God says, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years.”

We have a divinely designed biological clock that is built to be in sync with the natural light God made. While the lightbulb and smart phone are incredible advancements that have come with many blessings, the downside is that artificial light can easily disrupt this God-designed system known as the circadian rhythm.

That doesn’t mean we should never have a light on after the sun goes down. It does mean that being good to our bodies requires us to support our biological needs, such as by setting boundaries on screens and prioritizing quality sleep.

Genesis 2:2 tells us that God rested from His work on the seventh day of creation. Since we are made in His image, that means we are designed to rest too. We know that Jesus also retreated and rested. If God Himself, who is limitless, rested, then how much more do we, who are limited, need rest?

God gave us the example of how to live, both through His creation of the earth and His time as man on the earth. That tells me that being good to our bodies requires resting—regularly and rhythmically.

Take some time to reflect on your rhythms – do you have any regular rhythms of rest? Or could you afford to build some into your daily or weekly routine? This can be as simple as choosing to shut your phone or devices off by 8pm each night, or designating Saturday afternoons for slow and unplugged family time where you do something fun or cook a big meal, or anything else so long as it slows you down and gives you space to breathe regularly.

Father, thank You for designing my body with wisdom, intention, and care. Teach me to slow down, to listen to my body, and to see my need for rest not as a weakness but as a way to worship You. Amen.