Remember to Rest

Mark 6:30-31 NLT: 30 The apostles returned to Jesus from their ministry tour and told him all they had done and taught. 31 Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat.

Jesus was encouraging the apostles to rest. He saw how busy they had all been and that they needed to rest and eat. He feels the same about us when we are overworked without sufficient rest. I remember a time about five years ago, while I was in graduate school that God started speaking to me about the importance of rest. I always say that being in school is like a part time job, because for me, it required at least an extra 20 hours a week of work, outside of the full time job I already had. So I would diligently work 7 days a week trying to stay on top of my many projects and assignments. 

When I felt God leading me to take time to rest, I thought it was odd that he would call me to work less at a time I felt pressured to work more. And interestingly enough, the semester I was in had one of the most difficult classes, with the most difficult professor in my whole program. I was spending long hours trying to complete his long homework assignments and he never wanted to answer your questions. One time, he told me I should be able to answer my own question. Another time, after asking for clarification on one of the questions on a quiz he had already graded, he told me he discovered something else I did wrong and deducted another five points! He was so difficult and unkind that one of my fellow classmates decided to go to the dean to complain. She said the classes cost way too much for us not to get the quality instruction we deserved, and I, along with many other students, agreed.

But in spite of all of this, God was calling me to lay down my extra study hours and rest. So I begin taking Sundays off from school work. At first I felt nervous because I was concerned about not getting my work done on time. However, I knew it was God speaking to my heart and I knew I needed to obey Him and rest.  After a couple of weeks, I started really looking forward to my Sundays off from school work. I felt relief knowing I could rest mentally and physically from sitting at the computer trying to get more school work done. Plus, it gave me extra time to spend with my mom, who was still living at the time.

 Miraculously, even after taking my day of rest, I still always completed my assignments and projects on time and I felt much more energized when it was time to start the new work week. Praise God, I was able to pass that difficult class with an A. I felt shocked because I had struggled through most of the class.  Even though it was an accounting class, which is the field I have worked in for over twenty years now, it was extremely hard. But God is faithful. He is faithful to be who He is and faithful to bless us when we decide to be who He has called us to be. Our acts of obedience never go unrewarded by God, the rewards just sometimes look different from what we expected. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV 19 Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Remember to rest. We all need it. In Jesus Christ, we have spiritual rest through His death and resurrection, but we also have physical rest when we choose to trust Him and honor Him with our bodies. My greatest times of rest come when I spend time in God’s presence, allowing Him to refresh me, speak to me, and give me the strength I need to live another day. I can’t do without Him because He is my Daily Bread.

Our God is willing and ready to help us organize our lives. The world will keep us busy, but God will keep us busy with what matters most, while helping us to get the rest we need. I’ve heard it said that, “Everything that is good, is not good for us.” In other words, an overcrowded schedule filled with an abundance of good things may not be good for you when it steals your rest and peace of mind.

Proper rest is essential for us to fulfill our God given callings and live out our purposes here on earth. Proper rest is essential for us to be able to display the fruit of the Spirit as we interact with others. Proper rest is essential for us to be able to hear God’s voice and obey. May we open our hearts to receive God’s rest.

Father,

Thank you for the rest we have in you through Jesus Christ. Help us to  honor you with our bodies, as we invite you into our daily lives. Teach us to pray about everything and trust you to give us the direction and balance we need as we plan our days. May we surrender every detail big and small to you. May you be glorified through us as we seek to honor you with proper rest. In the name of Jesus, amen.

Psalm 116:7 NIV, “Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.”