The Struggle of Rest

You have six days each week for your ordinary work,

Exodus 20:9

Right there it is. We are not meant to work 24/7, 365. So why do we find it so hard to just stop, take it easy, and give ourselves a break? I mean, even on my days off I "do." I know I am not alone.

I have been listening to a few podcasts this past year and multiple times the topic of "sabbath" has been discussed and how we need a day, just one day, a week where we rest. No work. No chores. No busyness. A day to sit, maybe read, enjoy movies, but nothing mentally or physically taxing.

Now, here's where I sit and look back over the past few months and can see God positioning me to have a time to rest.

Back in December of 2018, we planned our summer vacation because my husband has to select his vacation days for the year then. However, in his line of work, if things go awry and the department becomes short-handed, they have the right to make you reselect your vacation to a time when they hope to have more availability. And that is exactly what happened to us. Vacation had to be rescheduled. So, the time that worked for him was this past week; the first day of his vacation time was the day I returned from being out of town for a week for ministry.

But wait...it gets better.

Through several unfortunate (or seemingly so anyway) circumstances and a horrendous case of cellulitis, we were unable to go anywhere or do pretty much anything for the entire week.

So much for vacation, huh? A whole week with nothing but time but no freedom to do.

It's even hard to be at home today, Sunday, and not be at church. Part me says, "Not doing anything else...may as well go." Isn't it crazy how we guilt and pressure ourselves?

But wait...

Yes. I am super disappointed that we didn't get to go anywhere or make summer memories with the boys during the last week of their summer break. I am really bummed that my husband has been really sick-poor man could hardly walk for days. I hate that we didn't accomplish anything on our list of things to do around the house. Absolutely I love being in church with other believers.

However, as we sat here at the house this morning and I was sipping coffee, reading devotions, watching Hillsong and First Assembly in North Little Rock, I realized that this is a season, albeit short, of rest. It's one we needed, well I needed, and I know I wouldn't have taken it except that God in His sovereignty would orchestrate it to be.

Rest, while it sounds amazing (and it is), is hard. It isn't easy or even fun. But it's necessary and we have to be intentional about making space for it and then doing it...or I mean doing nothing...or....well you get the point!

It would be so much easier to just chuck the last 36 hours of my "vacation" out the window and go and do all the things that are waiting for me to do. Or I can honor God's plan and take the time to just be. I don't know what the next few months look like. I can't help but believe God is saying, "Take the time now. You'll run a marathon here shortly."

Rest needs to become a regular practice in my life. A day, ideally, or an afternoon and evening-some time to just stop, and be. I have a feeling most of us need to make it a regular practice. Let's do one another a huge favor and allow our friends, families, and co-workers the freedom and space to take the time to rest. Let's even encourage each other to make it happen.