Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105)

One thing I learned in both running and in leadership is the importance of routine and clear rest. Rest is very important in exertion because to not give the body time to recover is to expose it to potential injury or mental fatigue. To change up the routine by a different form of exercise (weights, walking, core exercises, or some other form of exertion, not running) is critical to long-term health and enjoyment.

Application

You don't run a good marathon (whatever your marathon may be) by training up to the day of the marathon running nothing but long runs each and every day.

In leadership, you learn the team (staff) can get mentally or emotionally exhausted if they don't rest. To change up that routine, I had to lead by example, showing that rest and other forms of engagement such as learning were important to my own development. Growth is stifled in my opinion (and research supports this) if people are in a high-octane career, giving long hours each day, and not taking quality rests.

Application

You don't have an effective team if all they do is the same work day in and day out if they don't vary the routine and the work. Breaks in the action are critical to the success of a team as are engaging staff in learning or growth.

God commanded "rest" by commanding a "Sabbath" (Hebrew for rest) as he led by example taking a rest day on the seventh day of creation. Our Small Catechism clearly states that rest on the Sabbath is not needed for salvation, but think of it in terms of what was said earlier. Rest is necessary for you and reflection on God's Word is certainly necessary. It's not necessary, but routine rests to reflect on God's Word are important to our faith life as individuals and as members of the body of Christ.

Application

Growth in God's Word through prayer and devotion, daily and weekly, is critical to learning God's will in your life and direction for your life as a follower of Christ.

Pray with me: Gracious God, you took rest after creation. Remind me to take rests to by being in your Word, in prayer and in worship. In Christ's name. Amen.