Have you ever felt weighed down by your to-do list? What about feeling like a failure for not completing everything you had planned? Truthfully, many people struggle with pressing the proverbial pause button because there seems to always be more to do and not enough time available to do it. Therefore, it is no wonder why practicing mindfulness, or meditation, has become the latest hot topic. The Creator knows His children struggle with slowing things down, but He wants them, including you, to find rest. Why? The Father knows His children will uncover hidden blessings found amid rest.
The Creator Values Hard Work and Rest
From Scripture’s earliest accounts of creation, “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done” (Genesis 2:2-3, NIV) (bold and italics added for emphasis). In essence, God worked hard creating the heavens, the earth, and everything in it. Then, after finishing His hard work, God acknowledged the need for rest.
Why would Almighty God, the Divine Creator, have a need for rest? Perhaps the answer comes from Exodus 31:17 (NIV), “It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever, for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed” (bold and italics added for emphasis). Did you catch the Creator’s rationale?
According to Scripture, God’s reason for resting is two-fold. First, the verse tells us, “It will be a sign between me and the Israelites forever,” which is God’s way of establishing the time for rest as a covenant between Himself and His children (Exodus 31:17, NIV). Second, as any good teacher at the beginning of a new school year will attest, part of establishing a classroom includes modeling all desired behaviors, or expectations. Well, since the Creator is establishing his expectations for His new creation, He models the behavior He desires from His children. In this case, after working hard, God wants us to rest, so we can replenish, or refresh, ourselves. What a blessing!
Resting Honors God’s Divinity
Perhaps some individuals have difficulty drawing parallels between their need for rest and the importance God places upon it. Unfortunately, when a person consistently disregards their need for rest at the expense of completing other tasks, they elevate their perceived level of importance instead of honoring God’s divinity. How? Well, Almighty God, the Creator of everything, took a period of time to rest, Himself! However, when someone repeatedly chooses to overload their schedule without rest, they are indirectly demonstrating the belief their time for work, etc. is somehow more important than the Creator’s. Therefore, feel good knowing you have worked hard at something, but feel equally as satisfied in knowing you honor God’s divinity by resting, too!
Rest: A Gift from God
When faced with a question from Pharisees about why His disciples were picking grain on the Sabbath, Jesus responds, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath…” (Mark 2:27, NIV) (bold and italics added for emphasis). Did you catch that? According to Jesus, God views the Sabbath, or time for rest, as a gift to His children.
Now, I do not know about you, dear friend, but when I give someone a gift, it is my sincerest hope they will use and enjoy it. Am I right? Well, if rest is God’s gift to us, then how should we best use it to honor Him?
Ways of Honoring God While Resting
Since God blessed time for rest and made it holy (Genesis 2:2-3), how can His children use it to honor Him? First and foremost, love all of His creation by exploring and enjoying it (i.e., recreational activities, spending time with others, etc.). Serve others as the hands, feet, and voice of Christ in the world (i.e., volunteering, etc.). Learn more about Him through worship, study of Scripture, and fellowship with other believers. Finally, grow His kingdom on earth by seizing moments to witness to others about His unconditional love and grace (see related posts titled “Reflect Life-Affirming Christian Witness in the World” and “Become a Faith-Filled Superhero the World Needs”).
Finding Blessings in Unplanned Rest: A Personal Story
Recently, I broke my foot. Suffice it to say, this unplanned situation has forced me to be still and rest. Sometimes in life, things out of our control just happen whether we like it or not. What matters is how we choose to respond in those moments.
Needless to say, breaking my foot resulted in my entire schedule coming to a screeching halt, especially since I cannot drive for six weeks. Although this predicament is frustrating and inconvenient, having more time to rest in the stillness has afforded me with an increased opportunity for reflection. For example, what if I viewed my unplanned moment of rest as a gift from God instead of merely a hinderance?
As I reframed my situation, I began uncovering blessings hidden in the gift of stillness with the Father. What did I discover? Time slowed dramatically, drawing me into a heightened state of mindfulness. My schedule, which had once been overflowing, was now open out of necessity. The gift of extra time has provided the space I need for more quiet introspection. God speaks to His children, including you and me, in moments such as these. Moments of stillness. We must only be willing and open to receiving Him and His messages for us. With six weeks of unplanned rest, I can only imagine what other blessings I will uncover!
Closing Thoughts and a Call to Action
Overwhelmed? Overworked? The Creator knows His children, including you, struggle with slowing things down. He does, however, want you to find rest. After all, that is why He blessed this time and gifted it to you. Why would He do this? Well, as we examined in this post, the Father knows you will uncover hidden blessings found amid rest. Let your blessings begin and may they overflow!
Special Acknowledgment:
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