It’s OK to Rest
“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 heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matt. 11:28-29 NIV)
When we think about the busiest times of the year, we tend to think of back-to-school and the holidays, but springtime deserves a spot on that roster, too. There are spring sports and activities, which often demand a lot of time both on weeknights and weekends; end-of-the-schoolyear events, graduations, travel, recitals. Then there are the demands of home: spring cleaning, yard work, planting flowers and gardens. I always find it to be a bit of a shock when May hits and I realize one-third of the year is already over and done. Suddenly, weekends are jam-packed, and I’m almost immediately tired. The world is waking up and turning green all around me, and all I want to do is take a nap. It’s harder to stick to goals and routines, sometimes because it’s simply hard to find time to keep at them with all the additional demands of spring. But I have decided to tell myself it’s OK to rest in busy seasons like this one, to ease up a bit when it comes to what I expect from myself.
Some mornings, when my alarm goes off at dark o’clock, my body resists, and I am learning to ask myself, “Do I need more sleep today?” What am I really feeling in those moments? Is my body honestly in need of more rest, or am I just slow to wake? If it’s the former, I turn over and go back to sleep for an hour. When I do, I have to forego some part of my morning routine; my journaling or reading or exercise will have to be bumped to the afternoon or evening or even to the next day. I’m training myself not to feel guilty about this or like I’ve failed in some way. My routine will be there tomorrow. I can ease up today and get back on the path when I’m rested.
When I was in my twenties, I always powered through illness like there was no other option. I dosed myself with cold medicine and went to work. I took ibuprofen and ignored the headache. I gritted my teeth through the cramps and went for my run. Now, in my forties, I’m learning to slow down for illness, to listen to my body, to be more gentle with myself. It’s OK to rest when my body is battling something. If I’m not feeling well, no one but me can lighten my load.
When Jesus was in need of rest, whether physical or spiritual, he left his duties and rested until he was ready to resume them. I am beginning to give myself permission to do likewise.
We live in a culture where rest isn’t a way of life. We think we need to push hard, set goals, work tirelessly without stopping. We are overcommitted, stretched too thin. Our bodies call for rest, and instead of withdrawing and resting, we medicate them (we even do this with caffeine, don’t we?) and keep going. Our souls call for rest, and instead of withdrawing as Jesus did, we ignore the whisper of the Holy Spirit and keep moving.
What if, instead of pushing through busy seasons and times of illness or fatigue, we make the goal to do as Jesus did and honor our embodied selves and simply rest when we need to?
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