2:327 – I Needed That!

#faithbites #faithjourney #RoadToEdD needed

The kids and wife are gone for the weekend. Some would say it’s bachelor life, let’s party it up. For me, it’s a work and writing weekend. I am blessed to have a wife and family that understand what writing a dissertation means.

The first writing weekend I had, I felt guilty about taking a break to do anything other than eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom. This writing weekend, I went to Guys Night Out at Church, had lunch with a good friend, and took a nap. Each time I came back to the writing, I was more focused and energized. As my friend said, you can keep writing without a break, but your productivity will go down. He was right! Still, as of tonight, I’ve put in 10 hours or so, but man has it been effective. I needed that break.

This is just an example of how we need to pepper our work with fun. Rest and work go hand in hand. Having a long lunch doesn’t mean you are wasting your time. Rather, you are refilling your body and your spirit to prepare for what’s next.

Scripture

• Thus the heavens and the earth were completed, and all their hosts. By the seventh day God completed His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. – Genesis 2:1-3
• The apostles gathered together with Jesus; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught. And He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.” (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves. – Mark 6:30 – 32
• It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. – Psalm 127:2

Reflection

God did work then rested. Ok, he did more than “work”, he created the entire universe, he deserved it. Jesus told the Apostles to rest awhile after the work they did. Note, he didn’t say stop working but rest a while as there was more work to be done. He knew they needed it. We need it to.

So many in life think if are the first in the office and the last to leave, they are accomplishing more than others. They might be, but at what cost? God tells us that he gives to us even in our sleep.

There is always a balance between work and rest. We need to remember that God made rest and our body (and soul) need it.

Challenge

Make as much time for rest as you do for work. Prioritize just hanging out by yourself AND with others. Pencil it into your calendar if you need to. It may take you a while to not “feel guilty” but it is well worth it.

Prayer

Lord, after you created the universe, you rested. Your son often went away to rest, before doing more work. His instructed his disciples to rest. We often think the more work and the longer hours we do it, the better servants and providers we are. We know that isn’t true. You gave us rest to refuel our bodies, minds, and souls. Help us to keep to a schedule of rest. Be with us as we try to take on more work rather than rest. We need your voice to always remind us that rest makes us even better parents, friends, neighbors, children, and servants. In your name, Amen.