Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out?

Do you want to get away? Recover your life? Take a “real rest”?

If you answered, “Yes!” to any (or all) of those questions, know that those aren’t our questions for you; those questions come straight from Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG).

Jesus desires for us to have rest, but if we can’t set healthy boundaries, we’ll never be able to achieve real rest--which means we’ll constantly feel overwhelmed and overburdened, resulting in stress. If you’re ready to experience a “real rest,” try these three tips to set healthy boundaries:

Say “no.”

Sometimes we struggle with saying no because we feel obligated to do something or feel like we’re being mean if we say “no.” However, we must be comfortable with saying no because we can’t do everything. It’s more unkind to say “yes” to things that will harm us than to say “no” in the first place. To not overwhelm ourselves, we have to be able to say “no.” We also have to be able to identify what to say “no” to, as in what is going to drain us, and what is going to fill us up.

Be intentional about rest.

“Rest” doesn’t always mean sleep. Being intentional about resting means reserving time to be still, take care of yourself, and do less than you usually would. It could even mean engaging in an activity that you enjoy. Whatever rest looks like for you, ensure that it is something that helps you turn off the noise around you and refocus. A pro-tip in this area is to implement a Sabbath day. The Sabbath is not just a “good idea;” the Sabbath is a command from God (Exodus 20:8-11). Pick one day each week where you set aside everything to rest: sleep, be still, take care of yourself, and engage in a rejuvenating activity.

Prioritize your time with God.

Listen to worship music. Pray. Read your Bible. As you prioritize this time with God, it may require you to set some boundaries, such as how early you make appointments or how late you stay up at night. It may also require you to turn off your phone for a while so you can truly be present with God. All of these things are ways to implement healthy boundaries to protect your time with God and reduce your stress level.

Give these a try, and let us know how they work for you!