Learning the Importance of Rest

Is it hard for you to slow down? Have you ever said no to an opportunity in order to rest? If you are like me, you might find resting to be completely foreign to you. But lately I have been learning about the importance of resting.

I think it’s easy to think of rest as optional. As if I can just force myself to keep on going than I can get more done. Are you like that too? Do you feel the constant pressure of getting just one more thing done in a day? Or perhaps you are filling your schedule with fun things but you aren’t creating any margin in your life to rest.

Well if this sounds familiar to you, it certainly does to me too. The reality is I have lived the majority of my life this way. Trying to say yes to everything and trying to fit just one more thing into my day. But lately I have been hearing and learning to embrace the importance of rest in my life. I feel like the Lord has been talking to me more about the importance of rest and several books I have been reading have been bringing that home for me.

Since I don’t think I am the only one that struggles to find rest. I thought it might be helpful to share some of the things that have been on my heart. Here are 5 things I have been learning about the importance of rest.

1. I need to rest because I am limited.

Recently I was invited to participate in a vintage market in our town and I was super excited about it. Even though I was a little nervous about adding a market into what I was already doing, I signed up. I spent hours gathering supplies, preparing products, deciding and designing inventory, and recruiting help. In my estimation the prep work was going quite well.

Until I got some very big news….I was pregnant!

And if you know me, my version of pregnancy is extreme all day and night nausea. It’s unrelenting and very hard to handle. But I had hoped that perhaps this time it would be different. So I tried to push through and continue on with my preparations.

Well another few weeks passed, and my nausea was back. I kept trying to prepare for the market, but it just wasn’t happening. I realized that I could no just keep pushing. I was limited. I called my mom and talked with her about it. Of course she said words I didn’t want to hear. “Now that you are pregnant. You need to take time to rest.”

Who has time to rest? Rather than listen to my mom and accept my current limitations. I hung up the phone totally intending to ignore her advice.

Well as we know moms are usually right. Why is it so hard to accept limitations? This has been a lesson I have learned slowly. The first time I realized I had limitations. I was working at a live in position for my job where I needed to staff a 24 hour schedule. If someone was not able to work, I needed to fill the schedule. It didn’t take long to realize I couldn’t just fill in every time someone wasn’t able to work. I remember thinking I am limited. A thought I never had before.

How about you? Do you realize that you have limitations? Is it difficult for you to accept them? I think it is helpful to understand that we have limitations in order to accept the importance of rest.

2. There are always trade-offs when we choose not to rest.

The nice thing about being pregnant is often times in the middle of the night I wake up with an epiphany. Anyone else have that happen?

Lately I have been waking up around 3 am and reading and thinking deeply about life. One of the books I have been reading is called, Essentialism by Greg McKeown. It offers very practical and wonderful information on how to do less but accomplish more. The chapter I was reading was Sleep: Protect the Asset.

In it Greg talks about a character named Geoff, who’s overachiever tendencies cause him to neglect rest and he ends up completely burnt out. Geoff eventually learns the importance of rest and challenges others who have type A tendencies.

He says, “If you think you are so tough you can do anything I have a challenge for you. If you really want to do something hard: Say no to an opportunity so you can take a nap.”

Bam! That challenge hit me hard. It really felt the more I wrestled with it the more I was able to let go of the market. The reality was it wasn’t my main priority and choosing to rest and not push myself beyond my limits was more important right now.

In life is there are always trade-offs. I began to realize if I continued to try to push my limits, other areas would suffer. I have no doubt my nausea would increase because I would be resting and sleeping less. I knew my husband would be asked to commit to more than he was wanting or able to help with because I was sick. And truly I probably would be short fused and irritable with everyone for awhile. So for me it was thinking about the trade offs that helped me decide. I withdrew from the market in order to slow down. And I know that was the best decision.

3. Rest provides an opportunity to see more of who God is.

Another book I am reading write now with my Bible Study it is called Breathe: Making Room for the Sabbath by Priscilla Shrier. In it we are also talking about the importance of rest. Do you see why I am thinking a lot about this topic right now?

We have been talking about how part of God’s work in creation was actually to create a day to rest. Doesn’t that just give you a beautiful picture of what God is like?

Sometimes we can frantically feel like there is always something to do on this side of eternity. But God creating sabbath rest gives us a different picture.

Jesus says in Mark 2:27, “that the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.”

God wants us to rest. It is a gift. And if God is giving us a gift we can trust it is good and for our good. I

In Psalms 127 it says: “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat– for he grants sleep to those he loves.”

I can feel so guilty sometimes taking a nap or going to bed at night when my to-do list is not complete. Do you ever feel guilty for resting? Knowing God wants me to rest and created rest for me gives me such a beautiful picture of who He is, and freedom to rest at times it is needed.

4. Rest actually makes us more effective in our work.

Another reason rest is so important is that it helps us to perform better. If you are still not convinced that you have time to rest. This might convince you. Do you know that sleep may actually increase your brain power or help with problem solving? McKewon talks about this in his book.

But from personal experience as a mom I have lived this out. I know with an infant who doesn’t sleep at night my ability to cope, manage emotions, problem solve and make decisions can all be impaired. I have also noticed that memory can also be affected when I have been up all night with an infant.

So if you want to perform at your best. Rest and sleep must be a priority.

5. Rest reminds of who is ultimately at work.

I am not sure how many times I try to solve things in my own strength or in the lives of others, but rest reminds me that God is the one ultimately at work. Although rest seems like a passive activity it may require very active trust. By resting I am saying that I trust God with the results of whatever circumstance or trial I am facing.

Although rest seems like a passive activity it may require very active trust. By resting I am saying that I trust God with the results of whatever circumstance or trial I am facing.

Philippians 2:13 says “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” God is always at work in our lives. And since He wants us to rest at times. Not resting can mean that we try to involve ourselves in an area or situation where we really should trust him and not try to solve on our own.

I don’t know about you but I definitely don’t want to be taking on problems aren’t mine to solve. Rest helps us remember to look to the Lord and remember He is ultimately the one at work.

Rest is an important part of our lives. It is a gift that is given to us by God. And although we may think of our need to rest as a negative attribute. Understanding that we have limitations and need rest, may be the best thing for us. Understanding our limits, and how there are always trade-offs when we don’t rest, will help us limit our decisions to only doing what’s most important. Rest is an important part of being successful in all areas of our lives. God gave us rest to heal and restore us. He shows He is the one who can ultimately do the work we long to see in our lives.

I hope you will find time to rest this weekend!

God Bless,