Relaxation: The Power of Sacred Rest

Posted On August 15, 2022

Rest

herefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.

Hebrews 4:1

Both a basic need and a commandment from our Heavenly Father, the word rest has many meanings. Here are a few:

• freedom from activity, such as work, strain, or responsibility
• a pause for relaxation
• a state of inaction

Rest is essential to our physical, mental, relational, spiritual, and emotional health.

We seem to be a society both in desperate need of AND in desperate pursuit of rest.

It begs the question: Why are we still SO tired?

Internal medicine physician, teacher, author, and mother Saundra Dalton-Smith has some theories. In her book, Sacred Rest Dr. Dalton-Smith breaks down the concept of rest into seven specific categories or types. (For my review of Dr. Dalton-Smith’s book, click here.)

Here are the categories:

• Physical
• Mental
• Sensory
• Creative
• Emotional
• Social
• Spiritual

Respecting Rest

Do categories of rest actually matter?

It turns out they matter quite a bit.

In spite of our “hamster furiously running on the treadmill approach” to relaxation, we remain a society “stuck” in our struggle with chronic fatigue. We diffuse essential oils to unwind, down pots of strong coffee to help us focus on the day before us, and book massages, spa days, and “long weekend getaways” to help us destress. We go on vacations only to return not refreshed but more exhausted than we were before we left. We covet “me-time” by binging on Netflix and pints of Haagen Daz. We scour the self-help section of our online bookstores in search of the latest holy grail solution to our endless exhaustion.

Wash, Rinse. Repeat.

And yet, we do not seem to experience true respite.

According to Dr. Dalton-Smith, our futile attempts fall flat because we lack a deeper understanding of what rest truly is.

As it turns out, we need to understand rest (and ourselves) in order to attain it.

Sacred Rest

Rest is sacred.

It is deeply personal.

And it deserves our respect.

If we do not give ourselves the right “kind” of rest, we can never truly feel restored. So, how do we determine which “type” of rest we need?

We start by determining which kind of tired we are.

Have you ever tried the Daniel Fast? My in-laws’ church begins each new year with a challenge, 21 Days of Fasting and Prayer. If you are unfamiliar with the Daniel Fast, know it is quite strict. Based on the fasting experiences of the prophet Daniel, it is a vegan-style diet but stricter where the only beverage allowed is water. A truly transformational experience, fasting can bring one closer to God.

At the writing of this article, I have yet to try the Daniel Fast, but I have abstained from meat during Lent for many years. Not just on the traditional Fridays, but throughout the entire forty-day period. Throughout my Lenten observance, I note awareness of a specific hunger. A hunger for meat. As the end of the Lenten season draws to a close, that awareness increases into a craving. By the morning of Holy Saturday, I find myself first in line at the nearest In-N-Out Burger ordering a Doule-Double animal style (I only wish I were making this up. I have friends who can attest to this as they have celebrated past Holy Saturdays with me over shakes, burgers, and fries).

Here’s the thing, I could have eaten anything out of my pantry (and often I did) during this period of specific deprivation, but I never felt satisfied. A little of this, a lot of that. My specific hunger remained.

Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

Only when I broke my fast and allowed myself animal protein did I feel sated. For me, specific deprivation led to specific hunger.

Rest is no different.

Types of Tired

Below you will find a brief summary chart of the “Rest Deficits” by Type described by Dr. Dalton-Smith as well as Restorative Actions (i.e., steps we can take to help restore balance and replenish our energy stores). Parts of the chart are summarized from Dr. Dalton-Smith’s research while some are added from my experience as a therapist.

In her book, Sacred Rest Dr. Dalton-Smith references scripture frequently. Here I have embellished further by adding verses of scriptural support to help aid you in your journey to peace.

Type	Rest Deficit	Restorative Action	Scripture Support
Physical	Sleep Deprivation Physical Overexertion Illness Stress	Passive Rest (napping and sleep) Active Rest (Deep breathing, yoga, tai chi, sleep hygiene)	Fourth Commandment Exodus 20:8-11 Rest in the Lord Matthew 11:28-30 Psalm 23:1-6 Breath of Life Job 33:4
Mental	Mental Strain Brain Fog Compromised Memory Poor Focus/Attention/Concentration Anxiety Depression	Thwart negative thoughts (Declutter background noise, debunk negative self-talk) Shift focus to productive, helpful, positive, and constructive thoughts Mindfulness (allow thoughts to simply drift by like clouds without labeling them as “good” or “bad”)	Take Every Thought Captive 2 Corinthians 10:5 Focused Thought Philippians 4:8 Construct a Mental “Safe Space” Romans 8:6 Be Anxious for Nothing Philippians 4:6-7
Sensory	Sensory Overload (bright lights, loud noises, smog, flashing screens)	Seek Respite in the Natural World Set Boundaries Unplug	Seek Comfort in Nature Mark 6:32 Plug into God Exodus 33:14 Solace in Silence Habakkuk 2:20 Psalm 131:2
Creative	Waning or Lacking Inspiration (Writer’s block/lost muse) Lost passions	“Artist Dates” Nature Walks Sabbaticals “Work-Stop-Work” Routines	Creation & Rest Genesis 1:1-2:2 Enjoy God’s Creation Psalm 95:4-5
Emotional	Denial Lack of Authenticity/Genuineness Unaligned Words and Deeds Absorbing Emotions Only (absorbing sponges without an outlet for release)	Know Thyself: Increase Awareness of Thoughts & Feelings Grace: Permission to Feel without Judgment Actions Aligning with Beliefs Draw from the Well That Never Runs Dry Power of the Pause	Confess Sins to One Another for Healing James 5:16 Let Love Be Genuine Romans 12:9 Conform to God’s Will NOT Our Own Romans 12:2 Fill Up Your Cup Psalm 23:5, John 4:1-30, Psalm 81:10 Psalm 23:5 Spirit of Power, Love, and Self-Control 2 Timothy 1:7
Social	Loneliness Disconnect from Others Toxic Relationships	Quality Over Quantity Nurture Authentic Connections Cultivate Bidirectional Relationships (Balance Deposits and Withdrawals) Set Boundaries with Toxic People	Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5:22 Hebrews 4:12; Proverbs 27:17; Proverbs 13:20
Spiritual	Relying on Our Own Provision Lack of Meaning or Purpose Crises of Faith Wounded Spirit Hopelessness/Helplessness Disconnect from God Anger at God	Rely on God’s Provision Confess Your Heart to God (Identify Your Wound) Acknowledge (and Own) Your Pain Seek and Know God Surrender to Gain Strength Restoring Relationship with God Make Time for God	On Despair & Discouragement Job 3:20-21 Lamentations 3:26 For Comfort Psalm 42:9-11 Christ’s Perfect Peace John 14:27 Acknowledging Pain Job 3:23-26 Humility Matthew 23:12-39 Surrender Matthew 22:37 Trust in God Isaiah 26:3 Isaiah 30:15

Restore From the Source

When we are tired we often simply do not know where to begin to allow healing to occur. Keep it simple. Begin at the beginning. Draw from the well that never runs dry. Lean on God’s word for guidance. Reestablish a connection with your Creator by referencing the Operator’s Manual for our lives, the Holy Bible.

Choosing to Rest with Attention and Intention

“Communication is the lifeline of health. To hear the message your body is trying to deliver, you must first learn how to listen to it once again”

Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD, Sacred Rest

In order to truly experience restoration, we must take ownership of our pursuit of rest. We cannot idly sit by and wait for the opportunity to present itself. We cannot fall prey to excuses of excessive busyness. Full transparency: do any of us really have more than 24 hours in a day available to us anyway?

We must be willing to stand before the mirror or step under the microscope and risk ourselves being laid bare, exposed flaws and all, before others and before God.

We must seek rest, actively with full attention and clear intention.

Much in the same way we supercharge our self-care through soul-care, we can walk in obedience and honor our Heavenly Father’s commandment for rest by going deeper in our pursuit of it.

Saundra Dalton-Smith, MD TEDxAtlanta – Video courtesy of YouTube

Blessings,

Kimberly

IOH Mom

This website is not a professional counseling website and nothing here should be construed as professional counseling advice. Although Kimberly Bennett, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor, she is not your counselor, and no counselor-client relationship is established unless she has signed an agreement with you. All information provided through this website is for informational and educational purposes only. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure statement. Thanks for visiting!