Skip to main content

The Value of Rest

                 I did not feel tired.  I was busy.  There was a lot going on, but I thought I was fine.  Then, last week, Sara and I rented a cabin by a lake, and I spent most of the first two days doing nothing.  As soon as I stopped doing a bunch of stuff, I realized how worn out I was feeling.

                Many people live this way.  They fill every moment with activity and run from one event or task to the next.   Oddly, that pace can be maintained as long as you do not slow down.  If you keep piling things on your “to do” list, then you never really realize how tired you are becoming. 

                There are other signs though.  As people begin to wear out, the first thing to go is their attitude.  We become easily irritated.  Little things cause us to lose our temper.  We have no patience with anyone, even those we love the most.  Small tasks and minor demands on our time seem like huge inconveniences.  Any of those responses is a sign that you are overworking or over-stressing yourself.

                While we have been trained to think in terms of being productive and getting things done, it is good to remember the value of rest.  Rest is not just doing nothing.  Rather, it is a key component in doing all your other tasks well. 

                On the seventh day of creation, God rested from all his work (Genesis 2:2).  God commanded that his people observe a weekly day of rest called the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10).  Even Jesus took time to be alone and he did not heal everyone that needed healing (Mark 1:35-39).  

                You cannot keep going and serving without looking after yourself.  My favourite analogy here comes from the safety instructions on airplanes; If the cabin depressurizes, put your oxygen mask on first and then help others.  If you pass out from lack of oxygen, you are no good to anyone. 

                The good news is that you do not need to wait until your next vacation to slow down.  You can find something to be joyful about today.  You can give yourself a break.  Rest is essential, not optional.

                “This is the day which the Lord has made; Let’s rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dark and Light

            When you look out at the world, what do you see?             Some see nothing but trouble and pain.   They point to things like poverty, crime, problems with drugs and alcohol and marriage break-ups and say that the world is full of sadness and sorrow.   Watch the news for even a half hour and you will get the idea that the world is a dark place.             Others see nothing but good.   They appreciate generous people in their community.   They think about their friends and neighbours and smile.   They marvel at the beauty of sunrises and stars at night.   To them, the world is a bright and wonderful place.             You may be surprised that the Bible supports both of these world views.   On one hand it says things like, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the
1 comment
Read more

New Article: Five Words to Improve Your Relationships

                 In the late 1800s, it was common for railway companies to plant formal gardens beside their stations.   These gardens were filled with trees, shrubs, flowers, and fruit trees.   Sometimes they also featured a kitchen garden growing lettuce, carrots, corn, and potatoes.   Estevan’s Canadian Pacific Railway Garden was once located where Mid-City Plumbing and Heating is today.                The purpose of these gardens was to show what the land could produce.   After hours and sometimes days of riding across the featureless prairies, the railways wanted to show settlers the potential of their new home.   The gardens showed what was possible and they encouraged the settlers to transform their own land and discover its potential too.                Today’s verse acts similarly, in that it challenges us to find the potential in
Post a Comment
Read more

Forgetting What Is Behind

                   Generalizations are helpful because they show a pattern that is normally true. However, they are also dangerous because they ignore the exceptions to the rule.                  Here is my generalization:   It is a quality of the strong to be able to forget the past and move on.   The apostle Paul summarizes this idea when he states, “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God had called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Too often, we trip over things that are behind us.   We remember and nurse old hurts.   We rehearse mistakes that no one else recalls.   In doing so, we pull the past into the present and allow it to dictate how we feel right now.   In these cases, we would be better off “forgett
Post a Comment
Read more