Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28.
Do you ever feel like cuddling up in a warm cozy blanket by the fire, sipping on a delicious mug of hot cocoa while reading a favorite book or listening to a loved one play a soothing melody on the piano?
What I have just described, the idea of creating a warm, cozy, enjoyable and comfortable rhythm to daily life is what the Danish refer to as Hygge, which is pronounced “hoo-gah” This practice is all about slowing down to enjoy life’s simple pleasures like nature, delicious comfort food, quality time with loved ones and all of this in a comfortable calm environment.
Some may call this a wind down routine, others may refer to it as the quiet hour, or even simply being present and unrushed. But whatever name you choose to call it by, hygge promotes gratitude, well-being and contentment.
Some ideas for hygge include sitting quietly by a fireplace or a video of crackling fire on your tv, drinking a warm beverage without rushing while sitting in a cozy chair by candle light, playing a board game with your family, going on a nature walk, painting, drawing, coloring, putting the phone away and reading a good book, spending quiet time in the Bible, listening to soothing worship music, savoring a homecooked meal with love ones and warm conversation.
Intentional and habitual rest is not a foreign concept in the Bible.
By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Genesis 2:2
From the very beginning in Genesis when God took a day to rest from His labors and through the Old Testament where God made a covenant with Israel to keep the Sabbath day of rest from all work (Exodus 20:8-11), including all foreigners and sojourners who were with them as well as servants and animals. Even the land needed rest (Leviticus 25:4). God is very serious about rest, and He leads by His example. Everyone was called to rest on the seventh day of every week. Even right up to the New Testament where Jews including Jesus still held the Sabbath day as a day of rest. In addition, Jesus often retreated to a quiet calm place by Himself to reflect, regroup, refresh and commune with God.
But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16.
Jesus knew how important it was for human beings to rest. He went beyond just seeking rest and withdrawal from the noise, hustle and bustle of everyday life for Himself to encouraging His followers to do the same as well.
Then Jesus said, ‘Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.’ Mark 6:31.
In case you are wondering what this means for us who are now living in the 21st century, the same principle still applies to us. Rest has always been part of God’s original plan for the world. It was created to benefit us not burden us. To help us heal, recharge, refresh and realign with God’s rhythm for our lives. Rest is not a waste of time, but a way for us to enjoy the peace that our loving, caring and faithful Father gives us.
It is true, God calls us to meaningful and gainful work. However, God is a God of wisdom. He knows us because He created us. And in our frail human bodies, we need rest to be most diligent and productive in our work. He provides a balance.
Chose to honor God today not only in being faithful in doing the work He has given you, but also in by setting time aside to rest regularly as a way to honor the God who calls us into His rest.
God’s promise of entering His rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. Hebrews 4:1
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