Rest—Hello again from the Ministry of Healing and Restoration. We have had a blessed summer. God is blessing our garden, and what a blessing it is 
to eat all the organic goodies full of vitamins and minerals and enzymes! This month we will be talking about rest. Rest is an important law of health. In a health article sometimes it is easy to make the applications on the physical level only, but we will also be touching on spiritual rest.
Physically, rest is important for many reasons. Due to the fact that we live in a fallen world, the body is constantly going through breakdown processes and is also constantly taking in toxins. When we give our body the proper rest that it needs it has the ability to “restore” itself, repair damage, and remove toxins. What are some of the kinds of rest we need? First of all, we need a good night’s rest every night. Due to body chemistry, melatonin levels, and circadian rhythms it is generally accepted that one hour of sleep before midnight is worth two hours after midnight. I find it interesting that many people whom I come in contact with and who suffer from depression tend to be nocturnal. It is also good to rest our bodies by not over-eating and by not eating too many meals. I find it to be especially detrimental to eat before bedtime because the body has to use blood and energy to digest the food, thus hindering the body’s ability to rest and repair during the sleeping hours. Artificial stimulants are also a detriment to rest. Caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol all tend to disturb the body’s ability to rest.
Mentally and spiritually we also need rest. Sometimes our minds are constantly running. This can be a condition that many have as a result of not giving our problems to the Lord Jesus Christ. I have found in my own experience that there is a sweet peace that comes from putting my problems in the hands of our heavenly Father and his dear Son. There are many stresses and pressures that are very particular for the times we are living in. So many people have stress, and it causes health problems. We need to learn how to enter into God’s rest as described in Hebrews chapter 4. Remember God wants to give us peace, joy, comfort, and rest. So, it is my prayer for all of you to receive His fullness. Until next month, may God bless you.
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(The above article was provided by Curtis Kline. For more in-depth information he can be contacted at (814) 676-3141 or curkli@yahoo.com. Editor)
