rest

be still and know He
know He is holy
be still and know He is God
we have our lives with inventions
that have hurried us nowhere fast
now we need to turn our attentions
to what will last

be still and know He
know He is holy
be still and know He is God
love Him more dearly
see Him more clearly
be still and know He is God

we've been running without a direction
we're afraid to get there late
what we need is strength just to kneel down
and wait

be still and know He
know He is holy
be still and know He is God
love Him more dearly
see Him more clearly
be still and know He is God

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There never seems to be enough time in a day. Things go by so quickly, and my to do list seems to be getting longer instead of shorter every day. It's so easy to fall into the cycle of going, going, going, because there is never an end to what needs to be done. And that's just talking about responsibilities. When you throw in the things you want to do, you have even less time.

But we are hard-wired to require rest. And not just sleeping every night. But to actually spend a portion of our day, while we are awake, resting. Our bodies have two basic physiologic states, which are controlled by separate nerves and brain functions.

The first physiologic state is controlled by the parasympathetic nervous system, and is responsible for what's called homeostasis. Homeostasis is complex, but is essentially the body's ability to regulate. It enables the body to regulate many different processes, including hydration, temperatue, digestion, filtering of nutrients and waste, healing, and arousal level (how awake/alert we are). It also allows us to adapt to our environment, both internal and external. It is quite literally our bodies' "home" state -- where we are supposed to be functioning most of the time.

The second physiologic state is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system, and is responsible for the well-known "fight or flight response". It is a protective system that is intented to alert us to danger and help us to escape or fight the source of danger. This system is always functioning, and during times of rest, works in conjunction with the parasympathetic nervous system. But during times of stress, the sympathetic nervous system "takes charge" and overrides parasympathetic activity. It is necessary for survival.

But when we stay constantly busy and stressed, we essentially wear our bodies out. We don't spend enough time in homeostasis where our bodies can regulate all those important functions I mentioned before. We aren't able to heal adequately, we don't filter nutrients and waste effectively, we have trouble falling asleep and staying awake, etc., etc. It becomes a vicious cycle--the more accrued damage our bodies store up, the more and more rest they will need to get back to "normal." So, we develop internal stress on top of the external stress we experience.

The funny thing about humans, though, is that we don't easily remember how important it is to rest. No wonder God had to give us a command to rest, and for a whole 24-hour period, no less! I know many days I don't slow down long enough for a 15-minute lunch break, let alone 24 hours at a time. There are so many important things that happen when we rest. Yes, of course, there are the important physiological reasons I've described. But rest is also crucial for mental health, relationships, and spirituality. And again, I don't just mean getting enough sleep. I'm also referring to spending time "resting" while we are awake...being still...

Isn't it hard? But we need it. We need it so much, God commands us out of love to take time to rest. When we are properly rested, we are healthier, more vibrant, and better capable to face the challenges that come our way. We are more grounded; centered; organized; whatever you want to call it. We are more in tune with God and with others. It's such a positive and crucial part of our lives; why is it so easy to ignore and abuse?