When the Best Thing to Do Is Take a Nap
By Laura Bailey
“Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep. All at once, an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.” - 1 Kings 19:5-6 NIV
“I think she just needs a nap.”
For the past eight years, I’ve used these words to excuse away the terrible twos, tantrums, and tears. My husband believes that I’ve thrown around this phrase to cover more than a genuine need for rest, but more often than not, after a nap, my girls are different people. This also applies to food; hangry is a real thing! But seriously, no matter your age, doesn’t the world seem a little easier to manage after you fill your belly and take a few minutes to rest?
I wish I were one of those people who could live off 5 hours of sleep and forgo eating for productivity, but I can’t. I am one unhappy camper when I push my body, neglect to get adequate rest, skip meals, or eat poorly and abandon my fitness routine. And guess who sufferers the most? The people around me.
One of my favorite stories in Scripture is when an angel tells Elijah that he needs to grab some food, take a nap, and get back to serving the Lord ( 1 Kings 19:5-6). Let me give you a little background; Elijah was a prophet tasked with delivering some not-so-great news to the people of Israel.
Then Jezebel, the wife of King Ahab, takes center stage with her raring personal vendetta against Elijah. God, through Elijah, had shamed Jezebel’s gods by reigning down fire, and she wanted Elijah dead. Jezebel sends Elijah a threatening message, letting him know she wants him dead within 24 hours. Naturally, a terrified Elijah bolts for the wilderness to hide. Weary from his journey into the desert, Elijah becomes discouraged and cries out to the Lord to take his life.
Elijah hit a rough spot in his ministry; he wanted to give up and tried to escape his problems. Because we serve a God who knows what his children need, and at the exact time, the Lord doesn’t grant Elijah’s request to end his suffering by taking his life ( 1 Kings 19:4). Instead, an angel of the Lord comes and tells Elijah to replenish himself with food and drink and rest up, Elijah had more work to do.
As we read in 1 Kings 19, we see how God deals with Elijah’s heart ( his spiritual needs), but God first met Elijah’s physical needs. How often do I cry out to the Lord to fix my problems, bring me out of the depths of despair, and help me see clearly, but I’ve neglected to take care of my physical well-being?
We are limited, but God is limitless. The Lord created us to need food, water, and rest to function, and when we’ve forsaken care of our physical bodies, our spiritual health suffers too. Sometimes the best thing we can do to honor the Lord is to take a bite to eat and nap. We don’t have to continue to power through our strengths but rest in our weaknesses. Trust that the Lord will help us slay our task list, conquer the fear, and come alongside us in our pain, just as He meets our seemingly "less important" need for rest and nourishment.
So today, take inventory of your physical health. If you find yourself snappy with your family, quick to complain at work, or generally on edge, you may need a snack break and a power nap to get you back on track. Once you’ve recharged, fill your spiritual tank too, drink from the living water, and thank God for the bread of life, it’s the only thing that truly satisfies.
Intersecting Faith and Life:
Take a minute today and examine your mental, physical, and spiritual health. Do you need to make a plan to restore and recharge? Be sure to prioritize your physical health with adequate sleep, nutrition, and fitness. Grab a friend and encourage one another as you care for your physical body and feed your spiritual health with God’s word!
Further Reading:
Photo credit: ©Getty/Mladen-Zivkovic
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