A Prayer for Vacation Rest - Your Daily Prayer - May 26

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A Prayer for Vacation Rest
By: Whitney Hopler 

Bible Reading:
“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for he grants sleep to those he loves.” – Psalm 127:2, NIV

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Where are you planning to vacation this summer? As you get ready, you may feel exhausted and excited. There’s so much to do to get ready for your trip! Maybe you’ve been staying late at work and doing extra chores at home, trying to get everything done before you leave. It can feel like you have to work extra hard just to earn the right to finally rest on vacation. But even on vacation, you may feel pressure to see as much as you can and to make the most of every experience, so you’ll go home with the best memories possible. But your vacation doesn’t need to be stressful. What if you decided right now that this vacation isn’t a task for you to complete, but a gift from God for you to receive? 

God’s wisdom in Psalm 127:2 is an important reality check for your busy life. It reveals that rising early and staying up late, working and striving for every bit of progress, doesn’t actually give you what you really need. This verse reminds you that God “grants sleep to those he loves.” Rest is God’s idea. Even though you may often feel the pressure to be constantly busy in this fallen and broken world, your Creator has designed you to need rest. 

Jesus models the importance of rest, and you can look to his example for the inspiration and motivation you need to rest yourself. Jesus never hurried, even when he had intense demands on his time. He frequently withdrew from crowds of people to focus on being with his Heavenly Father in quiet solitude. Jesus even slept with confidence through a storm that threatened to capsize the boat he was on. When his disciples woke him up, he simply commanded the wind and the waves to be still. 

If you don’t get enough rest, your well-being will suffer. You don’t have to run yourself into the ground to deserve a break on your vacation. You’re allowed to rest simply because God loves you. You can rest without guilt because God wants you to do so! 

Before you even pull out of the driveway or head to the airport for your trip, spend some time in prayer. Tell God how tired you really are. Don’t minimize it or brush it off. Whether you’re tired physically, mentally, or spiritually, name the fatigue you’re feeling and bring it honestly to God. Ask God for more than just a break from your schedule; ask him for spiritual renewal and revival. Pray for the opportunity to completely recharge in ways that move you closer to God and bring you joy. 

When you choose to really rest on your vacation – or at home – you’re showing strong faith. You’re telling God you trust him to do what you can’t do, to meet all your needs, and to answer all your prayers. You’re also choosing to trust that God is in control at all times. God doesn’t sleep, so you can rest without worries and with the confidence that God is always working for what’s best. 

As you head into your vacation, try to leave your worries about home and work behind on purpose. If anxious thoughts follow you into your vacation, don’t panic or get frustrated with yourself. Just pray about all of your concerns, trust God to help you with them, and return your focus to the present moment. Do your best to be fully present so you can fully enjoy your vacation rest. Look for moments of wonder on your trip, like savoring the taste of a meal you eat without hurrying or listening to birds sing while you take a leisurely walk. Trust that God is doing an unseen but important work in your soul while you’re simply being instead of doing.

Let’s Pray: 

Dear God,

Thank you so much for the gift of this upcoming vacation. Please go before me and prepare a space where I can truly let go. Help me stop striving and release the pressure to make everything perfect. Give me physical rest by giving my body permission to slow down, to sit without guilt, and to move gently. Give me mental rest by quieting the noise of my responsibilities, and help me turn my worries into prayers and rely on you to help me with everything that concerns me.

Most of all, please give me spiritual rest. Restore the joy that has drained from my life due to the stress of being too busy. Teach me how to focus so I can connect with your constant presence. May I return from this vacation with my well-being refreshed in every way.

Thank you, God. Amen.

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Whitney Hopler helps people discover God's wonder and experience awe. She is the author of several books, including the nonfiction books Wake Up to Wonder and Wonder Through the Year: A Daily Devotional for Every Year, and the young adult novel Dream Factory. Whitney has served as an editor at leading media organizations, including Crosswalk.com, The Salvation Army USA’s national publications, and Dotdash.com (where she produced a popular channel on angels and miracles). She currently leads the communications work at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being. Connect with Whitney on her website at www.whitneyhopler.com and on her Facebook author page.

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