Rest for the Weary

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

A task-filled life is a life lived to the fullest...isn't that what we tend to believe in this society?  We thrive in busyness.  When we are busy we feel like we are valuable and needed.  When we don't have anything to do, we feel empty and weird.  We can't relax, because the minute we find ourselves task-less, we start wondering what should we be doing or whether we are forgetting to do something. In reality, however, the tendency to be occupied is a trap that enslaves us.  We condemn rest as laziness, and give a bad rap to taking it easy because we see it as irresponsible.  But, isn't the body designed to need time off?  Aren't we supposed to take a daily break rather than trying to push our limits, propelled by legal stimulants and misunderstood ideals of virtue? 

The familiar verses of Genesis 2 quoted above resonate strongly with me today.  Knowing that even God rested after all the hard work of creation is reason enough for me not to feel guilty or bad about taking time to chill.  

I mean, yeah, I know...creating the universe and all that is in it cannot be compared to the measly work I do on a day-to-day basis...BUT...as we all well know, I'm not God either.  So, if I may speak in relative terms, the daily work of a regular human requires a normal dose of rest as well.  

We are obsessed, and by "we" I mean, "me," with productivity.  A day without accomplishing something is a wasted day.  Lord, have mercy!  And, who gages productivity anyway?  Under whose standards I measure my work?  I don't know!  I make it up as I go.  I determine what is productive and what is not.  And the parameters keep shifting, depending on my mood or on the pursued goal.  In the meantime, I move a million miles an hour, and think everyone else is just too darn slow. Nobody meets my expectations, so I leave them behind, and the only products of my work are unbelievable frustration, misery and endless exhaustion.  

Deep sigh...

Meanwhile, the Lord waits patiently for me to come to Him, and drop my heavy burden from my shoulders unto His.

"He rested from all His work..."

He did, indeed, and so should I.

It's time to add "rest" into my never-ending to-do list and make sure it is the one item that gets checked off every day.

I pray that this new year, we may all find the necessary rest for our weary souls, so they are weary no more.  

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in hear, and you will find rest for your souls. 

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11: 28-30