You know the feeling. When you’re SO tired, but feel you need to just keep going. How else are you going to accomplish your goals and get to the top? In your mind, that’s the only way.
But you’re burnt out and wonder what the point of this working hamster wheel is. You wake up every morning after getting about 5 hours of sleep and repeat the same routine you do everyday. Life seems so mundane. Why is this? Why does working your tail off not bring fulfillment?
I’m not talking about hard work, I’m talking about never resting.
The answer is found in that last sentence. “Never resting.” That is why you feel so exhausted and unfulfilled. You weren’t created to work 24/7. God didn’t. When He was making the world in that first week of Creation, God rested on the 7th day. I honestly think that if God Himself needed to rest, so do we.
But why do we feel so guilty about resting?
Maybe because this world has told us that we won’t amount to anything unless we work 24/7 and become “successful”, whatever that is. Maybe we feel the need to accomplish something to impress somebody or make them approve of us. Maybe we feel lazy when we aren’t working. Or maybe it’s just because we live in a fallen world and we are constantly pulled in so many different directions. Whatever the reason may be, it doesn’t erase the fact that we all need rest. God commands it. And our lives continually prove that when we have a good work-to-rest ratio, we thrive.
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I don’t know if any of you follow @emilyley on Instagram, but if you don’t, you need to! Her story has inspired me so much. She is the creator of the Simplified Planner, and in recent years, her business was growing rapidly, making her work too much and travel too often. She also had a 5 year old and twin toddlers! She was stretched so thin, and eventually was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. See, stress and working too much isn’t good for us!
She then decided that enough was enough and made some drastic lifestyle changes. She cut down a ton on the wholesale of her products and doesn’t travel nearly as much. She began to work less, spend more time with family, rest, and take care of her body by working out and eating right. And you know what? She has noticed tremendous results! She is happier, can pour more into her family, has so much more energy, and even has new hair growth because she isn’t as stressed! Her
business may not be as large, and she may not have followed the standards of this world, but she is a whole lot more joyful and content. I think that is what truly matters!
Today, I just want to give you permission to rest. Take care of yourself and enjoy this one life you’ve been given. You don’t need to earn a certain amount of money or have a certain position to be worth anything. When Jesus died He died for where you are right now.
So go read that book. Take a sunset hike. Watch that movie you’ve been wanting to see. Soak extra long in the warm bath. Go out with friends or spend time with family. Linger in God’s presence. Do whatever means “rest” to you. It will be so good for your soul, mind, and body.
Read: 35 Ways to Practice Self Care
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle
and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke
is easy and My burden is light.””
Matthew 11:28-30
Tags : devotion, encouragement, rest
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