Reference no: EM133601390
Scripture Reading
By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all His work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done. (New International Version Bible, 1973/2020, Genesis 2:2-3).
He makes me lie down in green pastures. (New International Version Bible, 1973/2020, Psalms 23:2).
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (New International Version Bible, 1973/2020, Matthew 11:28-29).
Devotional Message
Rest. How many times do we complain that we just are too busy and do not have the time to rest? It has been said that a form of torture is to not allow a prisoner to rest. He is required to work and not sit down for days on end. Can you imagine how utterly exhausted you would be if you were unable to lie down, stretch out, and rest?
How often do we not take the time to rest from our personal, professional, and academic stresses? How often do we continue without taking time for ourselves to rest and rejuvenate? Physiologically, we know the body without rest will cause our defense mechanisms to fail. As our immunity fails, we become more prone to all types of illnesses. Is this God's way of making us rest? Once we have developed a disease, whether it is a cold or something more serious, we are forced to rest and rejuvenate.
God tries to thwart our development of stress illnesses by commanding we take the time to rest. Only God knows and sees all things. He knows what is ahead of us and the energy that we will need to accomplish His tasks. He often uses that time of rest to speak to us, direct our paths, and give us the strength we need to carry on.
As we are concluding course and look forward to our time of rest, remember that God is looking forward to meeting with you, strengthening you, and giving you peace. Do not negate this time of rejuvenation; celebrate it!
We have spent a lot of time during this course planning outcomes and interventions for a diverse group of patients. Please take some time now to think about your own health and well-being. What short- and long-term goals do you need to set for yourself that will, in the long run, make you a more effective and more productive person? Stop for just a few minutes and write out a care plan for yourself. Begin by taking stock of the problem areas that keep coming up in your life. Are you neglecting your health by getting too little rest, not eating what you should or not getting enough of the right types of exercise? Is there some habit you need to overcome or is your spiritual life being neglected and in need of some regularly scheduled time alone with God?
Spiritual disciples devour God's word because it is one key to a more dynamic relationship with a living Lord and great way to access the Holy Spirit. Don't forget to be kind, gracious, and forgiving with your new patient.
Consider the Scripture Application:
1. Develop a plan of self care by identifying the problem and determining a diagnosis. Then write out a couple of SMART goals you'd like to accomplish in the next week, the next month, and the next year along with several nursing interventions that will help you reach the goals. Keep in mind, you have a faithful God living within who is well able to provide you with the power to accomplish your goals if you will believe in and depend upon Him and His strength. Share your plan of self-care with you classmates and ask for and receive their support as you set about implementing your plan of care.
2. In addition to your plan of self-care, describe in a paragraph the way you plan to rest and rejuvenate both physically and spiritually in the week between this course and the next. Share your plan of care for yourself and ask for the help you need from your classmates.