Lately, I have found myself pondering the concept of rest. God speaks of rest and being still numerous times in His word. Our culture offers very few opportunities for rest. Busy would be the definition of life these days. Commitments, obligations and activities we feel we “must” do rob us of rest. With all the busyness, people are more stressed than ever. Many are suffering with depression and discouragement. I have talked with numerous young women who are completely overwhelmed with life. They can’t get their homes cleaned, meals prepared, or homework done, and their marriages are not at all what they would desire them to be.
I was talking with a young man recently who has been married just a few years. He and his wife have several little ones under foot. We were talking about the busyness of life, and, in particular, their incredibly busy schedule, filled with numerous commitments, which include church activities, sports, having children’s birthday parties and attending children’s birthday parties, along with their work. He said to me, “We are not idle people. We are not going to just sit around.” I was acting like his mother and cautioned him about being over committed and he said, “We’re good, we’re good.”
As I walked away from that conversation, I remembered a conversation that I had with his wife just a few weeks prior. She was telling me how tired she was caring for little ones, attempting to keep the house clean, preparing meals, and trying to be at this and that obligation, along with sports activities and numerous church commitments. The day I spoke with her, I could hear her frustration and sense her weary spirit. She was experiencing interrupted sleep at nights and sometimes sleepless nights, which are common with little ones, so she was in need of sleep as well.
What a contrast in their opinions of their lives. I looked up the word idle and it read, “doing nothing, inactive, moving lazily” In contrast I looked up the word “rest,” and it read, “ a cessation of all work, activity or motion, calm, quiet, balance, relaxation, peace, tranquility, leisure.” My husband, Mark, was raised with a mother who had the philosophy that idleness was a sin. If any of the kids were seated and not doing something “constructive,” they were being idle. Therefore, there is nothing he enjoys better than to sit and read or watch a football game in the evening. His mom thought you must be busy. When I look back over the years, she was a wonderful servant, yet because she would not allow herself to just sit and rest and leave the dishes on the counter in order to enjoy her family, she missed wonderful times of talking around the dinner table.
Sometimes we need rest. Sometimes we need to say “no.” Sometimes we need to take a deep breath; we need time to play hide and seek with the kids; time to cuddle up and watch a romantic movie with our spouse; time to close our eyes and take a power nap; time to play a board game with our friends, and time to just be still and listen as the Father speaks.
I truly believe the one thing that Satan has been incredibly successful at is getting Christians to be busy and over committed. We are slaves to busyness. It has gotten to the point that we find our worth in being busy. When talking to friends, what does the majority of your conversation consist of? Typically, the conversation is about our busy schedules- all we are doing and all we have to do.
I jokingly told a friend at the first of October that I was already living in November. Having looked at my October calendar and commitments, I really felt like I had lived October and was onto November. How sad that we cannot even enjoy the day we are living in, but are living weeks ahead because of our overloaded calendars!
God set apart time to rest and His son, Jesus, set apart time to rest, to leave His earthly work and commitments in order to rest and pray. In Genesis 2:2, it says, “By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.” In Mark 6:31 Jesus speaking, “And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest awhile.” If we do not intentionally place rest into our schedules, we will burn out. God did not intend for us to stay in a tired, worn out state. He calls us to rest, to be still and know that He is God.
Many evenings Mark is reading or watching a ball game. Me, I am busy! Busy doing house work not accomplished during the day. Busy working at the computer, or busy doing ministry related activities. Last week I said to Mark, “I am so tired. I would love an evening without anything to do.” Mark was kind in his reprimand, but clear in his message. Basically, he said that I have to make time to rest because there will always be “good” and “worthwhile” things to do. If I need rest, then I need to take the time to rest. I found myself wanting to play the martyr and deny that I have a choice in it- but I do and so do you!
Father, I desire to live a balanced life, not committing to more than You desire for me. Help me to know when you are calling me to rest, to be still and listen for Your voice. Help me to value marriage over the demands of others, family time over busyness, laughter and fun over wasteful activities, and time with You over and above all things. Lord, you reign over my calendar and you direct my life to include the commitments and activities that will make me more like You.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”Matthew 11:28-30
“Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10