I didn’t used to like naps. Back in the day when I was a small fry, I used to have to take naps, so I did everything I could to avoid them. I’d fake being asleep so I wouldn’t get in trouble, but I didn’t really and truly nap.

Now I wish I had rollover minutes for all those naps I pretended to take or outright skipped. These days those naps that I had to take but didn’t want to are one of my favorite parts of the day.

There’s nothing like a good nap on a dreary rainy Sunday afternoon. It’s a great feeling when you lie down at first not thinking you’ll really be able to fall asleep only to wake up an hour later like no time at all has passed. I must be getting old because I can pretty much count on my naps lasting just around an hour, even without an alarm to wake me up.

I do think part of good spiritual discipline is the ability to rest. God designed the Sabbath as a reminder that no one was meant to go 24/7 perpetually. Unlike my childhood, naps aren’t required. You can read a good book or listen to music or talk a walk outside or just sit and think.

But in my opinion, nothing beats a good nap when you’re weary.