by Sarah Huth
How rested are you feeling today? Not so much? I hear you. I struggle daily with prioritizing and scheduling and trying to accomplish too much…there is always more to do after all. I have a feeling I’m not at all alone in this.
We live in a country where a large portion of workers actually lose vacation days at work because we feel like we just can’t use it. This fact actually blows my mind. While I struggle with being too busy, I can’t fathom losing vacation days. I could go on and on about this topic, but I will save it for another post.
Rest has been at the forefront of my mind as of late and I know there is a reason for it. We are all busy in our own ways…either with work outside the home, work inside the home, raising a family, etc… – the commitments and expectations of this life are endless.
I have a friend who is good at resting. I don’t mean that she is lazy – oh no – far from it! She accomplishes much every day and does a great job at what she does. I’m not saying she always feels rested, but she knows when she and her family need to take a break and I admire this about her. She knows when her plate is full for herself and for her family and will kindly say “no” it something feels like too much. She schedules rest time for her family and sticks to it.
Another friend of mine sets a timer on her phone when she is working on something at home. Every 45 minutes, she takes a break to do something she enjoys, even if only for a few moments.
Blame it on genetics, or just shear craziness, but I have been known to say “yes” to things just because I can do it. I’ve been known to pile more and more onto my already full plate and become so overwhelmed that I lose focus and sanity. Sometimes I have a desire to do so many things and I am so focused on getting it all done that I lose track of what is happening. It’s only in hindsight that I look back and see the mistakes and poor choices I have made. I suffer and my family suffers when I take on too much, and I feel the Lord speaking to me in this area, especially lately. Does this sound familiar to you? He wants me (and you) to enjoy the blessings He has given us, not work ourselves into exhaustion daily and be so focused on what is still undone that we miss out on what is truly important.
Whether it’s saying no to a task that we are not feeling led to do, or physically stopping every so often to give our bodies the break we need – it is of utmost importance that we do take time to rest. The longer we keep rest on the back burner, the faster things go downhill.
Friends, we must realize that we are not being lazy when we schedule rest times into our day. When we rest periodically, we are actually more productive with the things we choose to make a priority for the day. More importantly, we have more patience with our children and our family, and our lives are more fulfilled. The Lord calls us to rest. Actually, he commands it. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
I hope you will join me in praying over this topic – especially during these busy summer months. Please share with me how you make rest a priority. Is this a struggle for you?
Sarah to Sarah 