In indoor sport climbing, you choose a route with certain levels, according to your experience and fitness level. Routes are usually color coded, and degrees of difficulty are determined by the positioning of the tiles, the types of holds used, the angle of the wall, and distance between the rocks. You can only touch the rocks that belong to the route that you are completing.
At times, due to the intensity of the route, a climber might feel like they need to rest on the way to the top. In this case, they will shout down to the belayer to “Take!” so that the belayer can tighten the line. The climber can then let go of the hold and sit on the rope for a while, as they wait to regain their stamina for the rest of the route.
Wise Christians know that every now and then, they need time to rest.
God taught us this principle by example, setting aside one entire day after creating the entire universe, to show us the importance of taking the time to recharge properly.
Jesus also had several episodes in the Gospels when He went on retreats and downtimes, sometimes alone and sometimes with His close friends. It could be at someone else’s house, or out in nature. Either way, Jesus knew how to chill.
And by extension, so should we.
Knowing when to take a rest is important for climbers. Sore muscles need time to heal, and tendons and ligaments can only take so much stress before they need to be relaxed. The best sessions happen when you are at your personal physical peak – well rested, well fed, clear headed, and ready for the next challenge.
In climbing, as in life, learn when to take a beat. Indicate that you need to rest, and calmly sink down into your rope, relishing as the weight is taken off your arms and legs.
After all, the sooner you rest, the faster you recover.