Work Hard At Resting

There is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

Hebrews 4:9-11

WE ARE A TIRED PEOPLE. For many, workaholism is no longer merely a symptom; it is a way of life. In our work-driven culture, we often deplore drug and alcohol addicts but promote and admire work addicts. William McNamara, the late Carmelite monk who wrote several books on contemplative living, once said, “Possibly the greatest malaise in our country today is our neurotic compulsion to work.”

Burnout, overwork, and nervous breakdowns were not part of God’s plan and design for us. An antidote exists—rest. Rest was not meant to be a luxury, but it is a necessity for growth, maturity, and health. God intended rest to be a blessing for us!

The writer of Hebrews speaks of something better than a day off or a vacation or taking a break. He called it God’s rest. Note the personal and possessive pronoun: God’s. God rested from His creation work. He did not rest because He was tired. He rested because He had completed His work. In doing so, He provided an example for us to follow. His rest can be ours, too.

How? Rest is prioritizing a block of time on a regular basis to keep all of life in proper perspective, in order to remain free of burnout and breakdown. Rest is the check and balance to a busy life. It is like an oil change for your car, your lunch break at work, or the halftime break at the football game. Find God’s rest and you will find balance and renewed life.

BOTTOM LINE

The old proverb says it best: “If we don’t come together, we will come apart.” Rest is as spiritual as praying and reading the Bible. Have you learned to rest?

Moment of Strength: Exodus 20:8-11