God Restores My Whole Being

Created to Rest (part 1) + a few breath prayers

Last Sunday was Good Shepherd Sunday for those that follow the lectionary, and I preached on Psalm 23. The words from this beloved Psalm beautifully intersected with other messages I’ve been receiving through books, podcasts, and conversations about rest.

In Alice W Hunt’s commentary in Feasting on the Word, she offers alternative translations from the Hebrew, and when pulled together, the first few lines might read something like this:

The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want
God makes me lie down in green pastures
God causes me to be refreshed upon the waters of rest 
God restores my whole being 

In Tricia Hersey’s book Rest is Resistance¹ she writes: We must believe we are worthy of rest. We don’t have to earn it. It is our birthright. It is one of our most ancient and primal needs. In other words, If you feel like you need to rest, it’s because you do — it’s how you were created.

In Psalm 23 there is an invitation from God, The Good Shepherd, to be led to rest. To be refreshed upon the waters of rest.

The idea that I hoped to get across to my community on Sunday morning, and now you, is that you are worthy of rest.

Kendra Adachi² makes a case in a recent podcast episode, that current systems are keeping us from the rest we need. She says that it’s not our fault, we’re not doing something wrong, it is the culture we live in. Hustle culture. Grind culture. Productivity culture. A culture that tells us our worth is based on what we produce and achieve. That our worth has more to do with what we can accomplish than who we were created to be. We receive messages everyday to work harder, faster, smarter — not to give us more time to rest, but so that we can work more!

Our coffee mugs say things like “rise and grind” and “but first coffee.” I see women wearing t-shirts that say “super mom, super tired” or “in my exhausted era” — we even put up signs in nurseries that say “let her sleep, when she wakes she’ll move mountains.” Even our sleep as infants is in service to our productivity. Sleep now little baby, we’re expecting big things when you wake up!

It’s no wonder we are tired! We may be tired, but we are not alone. God came to earth as a person, remember? God lived as a person — flesh, blood, bones. Tired feet. Tired eyes. God understands our need for rest. Jesus needed to rest.

And he did! We see Jesus all the time slipping away from the crowds, going off into the wilderness to be alone and to pray. Jesus takes naps(!), he eats meals with friends and has time to take things slow.

I know it’s easy for me to poke holes in our culture and then just send you off saying: go forth and rest. Maybe that is a bit what I’m doing— but I’m not an influencer, or lifestyle podcaster—I am a pastor and a spiritual director. I won’t tell you how to rest, but I will say to you again and again (and again): you are worthy of rest. You are allowed to rest. God leads you to rest.

I have a new small practice when I sit down to work — I’ll read a poem or take a few deep breaths, i’ll light a candle and pray or stretch for a few minutes, reminding myself there is time. It’s a small kindness, a shifting of perspective, an offering to myself, a reminder that there is time for rest, time to just be. It’s okay to slow down even if just for a few minutes. So here is your permission: you are worthy of rest. You are worthy of a few deep breaths.

Would you join me in resting for a few minutes before you move on with your day?

Start by considering — how could you be 5% more comfortable? Do you need to stretch a little? Adjust how you’re sitting? Grab a blanket or sweater? Once you’re comfortable, take 5-6 deep breaths. You might even add in a breath prayer like the ones below:

God restores
my whole being

I was created
to need rest

God leads me
to the waters of rest

I am worthy
of rest.

Amen.

Next week I’ll be writing about rest & sabbath for us, exploring a question from Drew Jackson³ - what needs to change so my neighbor can rest too?

Until then,

Holly

Links & Spiritual Direction News

• I am excited be joining Charlotte Donlon with her work at Spiritual Direction for Writers. I’ll be leading several co-writing sessions each month! If you’d like to join in, you can find more information here.

• In May, I’ll be attending the Pastors, Priests and Guides retreat in Chicago — enjoying the retreat and sitting with a few attendees in spiritual direction. I will also be offering spiritual direction groups following the retreat. (If you’re planning to attend and have interest in joining one of these groups please reach out!)

• I currently have space available for new clients. If spiritual direction is something that you or someone you know might be interested in, please reach out — hollyporterphillips@gmail.com.

1. Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey

2. Lazy Genius Episode #360: A Pep Talk for the Perpetually Tired (highly recommend spending 22 minutes to listen).

3. I loved this episode of the Between Retreats podcast from Pastors, Priests and Guides