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

The Art of Noticing.... Seeing what we need to see and what we miss when we don't

 What we focus on in life matters. Here are some scriptural reminders that will help us see correctly.  https://youtu.be/Rn76tV0ZH8s    
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: Twenty-three Descriptions of God (Psalm 145)

  Let’s play a quick game.  Take 10 seconds and list 5 or 6 words to describe God.  Got your words?  Good!   Here comes the game part.  I will list twenty-three ways that David describes God in Psalm 145, and we will see how many of his words match yours.   David says that God is, the king, great, majestic, wonderful, powerful, awesome, abundant in goodness, righteous, gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, rich in love, good to all, glorious, mighty, trustworthy, faithful, supporting, generous, providing, near, saving and watching.     How did you do? This is not a useless exercise.  The words we use to describe God not only indicate something about how we see him, but they also influence how we interact with him.  For example, if I know that God is “Gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love” (verse 8), I will not fear him, and I will not assume that he is against me.  When I remember that...
Post a Comment
Read more

Consider This: What is so Great About Grace?

If you were to drive by our house, you would see that Sara loves plants.  Our yard is full of flowers, and Sara lovingly tends every one of them. Which is why I was so afraid when she left town and put me in charge of keeping things alive. She must have been a little concerned, too, because she sent me two videos with specific instructions on how to water, when to water, and what to do.  Honestly, those first two videos helped, but the third one she sent was the one I liked most.  In that one, she said, “Please do your best. I want the yard to look good for the family reunion in two weeks.  However, if something dies, we will dig it out and pretend that it never existed!” That is what grace looks like!  Try your best, do what you can, but if it goes wrong, it will be ok. Sometimes we talk as though grace and effort are opposites.  That is not true.  They are partners. In one place, scripture asks, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone c...
Post a Comment
Read more