What is REST?

REST. 
1.the refreshing quiet or repose of sleep: a good night's rest. (uhmm.....)

2. refreshing ease or inactivity after exertion or labor: to allow an hour for rest. (yea...)
3. relief or freedom, especially from anything that wearies, troubles, or disturbs. (thank you Jesus...)
4. a period or interval of inactivity, repose, solitude, or tranquillity: to go away for a rest. (sounds wonderful)
5. mental or spiritual calm; tranquillity. (how I crave this...and finally...)
6. the repose of death: eternal rest.
 
Do you feel like you get enough rest?  me either.  and when i do take time to rest i often feel guilty about it.  Especially when I am afraid that I may be hurting another by not being available to them as much as they would like for me to be.  But I cannot be everything to everybody.  And some people want more from me than I can possibly give.  and that is hard when it is people you love.   but i have begun to realize that if i do not have rest (in whatever form i feel i need it) then i am not being the best i can at other times.  we must come to Him for rest -whether it is sleep, or times of reflection in the word, or a good book, or exercising, or gardening, rest is very necessary.  not zoning out (that is different)  it doesn't not restore, it steals.  zoning out has no benefits.  rest does.  it revives, it doesn't drain our emotional, or spiritual buckets.  like eating too much food while parked on the couch watching something that we will feel guilty about later.  not that a good movie can't be rest at times.  I guess the difference to me is where your thoughts are during this time of inactivity.  And if I stuff with chocolate while I am vegging out (which I have been known to do) when the guilt comes it is definitely not restful.
 
Isaiah 30:15 "This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel says, In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength but you would have none of it.

But why do we resist rest if we crave it soo much?   i don't want to merely exist.  I want to LIVE! for my Jesus and for my family and for my calling. everyday. consistently.  but it is soo hard. especially when we try to do it from our own strength, without taking time for rest. 
 
Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"
 
And I want to know and learn more about this rest, and if the Sabbath rest should still apply to us today.  my gut says yes.  since in Hebrews 4 (the new testament) it encourages us to keep the Sabbath.  but it is so hard.   to squeeze everything and everyone into our overly scheduled lives.  we usually use Sunday or Saturday as a day to get the stuff done that we need to get done, between jobs and sport schedules, and those that we love.  I would love to hear your thoughts about this one.
 
Hebrews 4:11  "Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same [2 Pet 2:6] example of [Heb 3:18; 4:6] disobedience.


Don't get me wrong, relationships are so important.  I believe that they are the most important part of living.  What else can we take with us into eternity but our relationships, with God and others. 
But let us make sure that we are making time for the most important relationship, our relationship with Him.  His is the only relationship that offers rest.  I love spending time with my family and friends and church family but these relationships can be taxing at times.  Let us make sure we are going to Him to be restored.  for REST.