I'm not a fan of rest. It feels unproductive. Lazy. Pointless.
So, what's the problem? Why not just suck it up that I am a "doer" who doesn't need rest?
Well, the problem is the Bible, more importantly, God. He not only seems to think it's important for us to take a day of rest, He actually takes a day off himself.
Genesis 2: 2-3 “And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.”
Mark 6:30-32 "The apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves."
During my restlessness, I came across this devotional and it really struck a cord with me:
"We secretly glorify the people who do it all, no matter the costs. Sure, we all have busy seasons with a new baby or the project due at work. But often, I think my refusal to rest is a symptom of self-sufficiency hardening into pride. The longer I’m awake, the longer I can control my environment and my results. It means less trusting that God will give me what I need and more time scraping together what I need and desire. Often, it means getting so busy doing things for God that we neglect our primary relationship with him.
The command to “be at rest” isn’t just for our benefit. Rest is not a guilty pleasure we have to sneak. Instead, we need to think of rest as a grace-filled reminder that we are creatures of clay dependent on a much stronger God. Our energy levels wind down until we are forced to acknowledge that – surprise! – we can’t engineer our lives as much as we’d like to think. But that weakness allows God to make us a promise in Matthew 11:28: “Come to me… and I will give you rest.”
My disdain of rest really comes down to my need for control. I like scheduling my day. I have a day for grocery shopping. A day for cooking. A time frame for my workout. A time to read. A time to pray. Set times when I eat. An alarm that wakes me up every day. An internal clock that tells me when to sleep. Needless to say, I'm a creature of habit. Let me tell you what happens when this creatures plans get thwarted for the day; I get all bent out of shape. I pitch a fit. I slam doors. I often times lash out at whoever is around me. I make sure everyone in the house knows my frustration at the change in plans.
Between my husband being down for the count this weekend, causing my plan to paint the church walls to come crashing down; my pastor calling to let me know I'm being disobedient and rebellious by trying to pull my sick husband out to work when we need his voice to lead us in worship on Sunday; a nasty cold invading my body today... I'd say God is trying to teach me a thing or two. His ways are not my ways. His plans are not my plans. If I keep planning out every hour of my day, what room do I leave for Him to intervene?
Maybe the whole point of rest is to teach the "doers" like me that the world won't stop revolving if I take the day off. By taking a day of rest, I'm forced to let God take the day and do with it what He wills. I'm guessing I need to start allowing this lesson to sink in, or I might see more random sick days in my future.
As I blow my nose for the millionth time today and sip my hot tea under a heated blanket, I'm reminded of my "humanness." I'm thankful that God is still honored, if not more so, in my rest. Thanks for the day off, Lord :)
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