Rest & Replenishment // Faithfully Honest
Last week, I was challenged at church with the following question,
“Am I living in a way today that will allow me to THRIVE tomorrow?”
I sat in my seat, I thought for a moment to myself. "Well, I work Monday-Friday from 9am- 5pm, so I'm definitely doing something productive. I go to the gym almost every day, so I am making time for that. I spend some of my nights up late, working on blogging and other projects when I get home from the gym. So yeah, I would say I am living in a way to thrive for tomorrow!" Sure that my answer was correct, I listened more to the pastor and figured the sermon would turn into a talk about how we as people of God have to work hard and stay motivated and diligent, how we need to be consistent in our work ethics and make sure we'll making every moment count by being productive.
What's interesting is that the pastor didn't talk about how we needed to constantly work ourselves to death, but he started talking about how to replenish ourselves from work and not burn ourselves out into fatigue. Sometimes I forget that resting and replenishment is a big part of living out a productive life; we need to take care of ourselves in order to go forth and take hold of our destiny. Whether you are called to own your own business, stay home and raise a family, or work a corporate job, we cannot fully give our 100% that is expected of us if we are not 100% in taking care of ourselves. Overworking myself has always been an issue for me, whether it's taking on too many projects at a time or putting others before myself. It's something I've been trying to work on since I started college and embarked on a journey to be in the fashion industry. This day and age, our society has created this trend that the more you hustle, the more successful you will be. Granted, the more you do, the most likely you will reach your goals, but who's to say that you HAVE to live a life with all work and no play? There's no law written that states that you have to be constantly juggling things and not take a break for yourself.
I thought about all this and decided that I was going to take this week to take more breaks and take care of myself. I want to say I was successful, but I'd be lying if I did. Haha! In all honesty, I worked so much this past week and put many people before my needs. I had a lot of late nights that threw off my sleeping schedule and had me downing numerous cups of coffee to ensure I wouldn't fall asleep in front of my computer at work. I was starting to feel sluggish and that sloth mode started to creep in. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do, but I was pushing myself to the point of exhaustion. This was not good and it finally dawned on me how difficult it really is so find time for myself.
In moments like this, I hold on to Matthew 6:34, which states,
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.”
Today is Sunday, the day of rest. So today, I promised myself that I would take a few hours to do what I WANTED to do. For me, I just wanted to cook, clean & do laundry (I know, CRAZZYYYYY idea, right? LOL) So after church, I went to the grocery store and went home. I spent a couple hours making food, threw some stuff in laundry and wrote this entry (because writing relaxes me) while allowing one of my favorite shows to stream in the background (Once Upon a Time cause I'm behind on season 6!) . I also read my daily devotional for today, made some coffee and let my white girl persona shine by drinking my coffee with some delicious Pumpkin Spice cookies I got from Trader Joe's. For me, this is how I relax, this is how I replenish myself, but your idea of relaxation may be different. Now go take some time and do those things! :)
I challenge you this week to find some time for YOU. Whether if it's immersing yourself in your favorite hobby, spending time with a friend or your family, cooking while sipping on your favorite drink, cleaning, sitting outside and just being one with nature, go do it! Sustain yourself by replenishing your soul, mind and body. Give yourself the break you deserve and take care of you. Let go of your worries and anxieties for the upcoming week. God will take care of everything and trust in Him. Enjoy today so you can thrive tomorrow and the days to come.
Happy Sunday Xo