How To Find Your Rhythms Of Replenishment
In a culture of hustle, busyness, distraction, and over-production, it’s easy to argue against prioritizing rest. However, making margin for rest and replenishment can be transformative for the person you are becoming. Think about how you show up when your mind is scattered and you are running on little sleep and a lot of caffeine. Then, think about how you show up when your calendar is organized and you are living at an unhurried pace. How are your relationships, your work, your own health affected in either scenarios?
How To Find Your Rhythms Of Replenishment
In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Who is someone you know that is weary and carries heavy burdens? Jesus is talking to everybody, and inviting everyone into a life of work and rest with him. The Replenishment Chart is a simple tool to help you prioritize rest by calendaring sustainable rhythms, whether they are daily habits or annual retreats. Here are 5 essential categories of replenishment:
Rest is all about ceasing from your work, to stop striving and producing. Some ideas are to identify ways you rest (not everyone rests the same), and to rest more daily as you build up to 1 hour to 24 hours of Sabbath. You can only give your best self when you take the best care of yourself. Remember, you are a human being, not a human doing.
Release is about grieving, forgiving, and processing in healthy ways. People are not meant to hold all things, and Jesus’ invitation to learn from his humble and gentle heart is learning to have a humble and gentle heart. Holding onto grudges, relational tensions, and unforgiveness can be heavy and bitter to carry.
Receive is about hearing from God. There are so many voices vying for your attention. God’s voice is loving, full of peace and compassion. It is a truth-telling voice, when many voices out there speak lies, distracting you with chaos and urgency. Whose voice are you hearing from, and how will you regularly make space to hear from God through Scripture, prayer, journaling, etc.?
Recreate is about fun, enjoyment, adventure, and recreation! Physical and emotional lives intersect around recreation. Think back to moments in your life that filled you up. Chances are that they were renewing. Think about how you want to create memories of renewal and make space to be present to those moments!
Relate reminds you that you were created out of relationship, for relationship. You were not meant to do life alone. What rhythms are you committed to intentionally showing up to? Whether it’s weekly date nights, monthly dinners with neighbors, hiking with friends, ideate around how you relate meaningfully!
The beauty of this chart is that each person’s is different - in fact, they should look different! This is because each person is uniquely created by God to live meaningfully and to become more like him. As you stay committed and explore your rhythms, take note of what changes in you over time, and what needs to change on your chart over time! Like you, the chart should adapt. You don’t serve the chart; the chart is here to help support you!