Taking Time to Rest
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It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep. (Ps. 127:2)
One thing that stands out in my mind from when my children played youth sports was how no one person was indispensable. If a starter got injured or was sick or was out of town, there was always someone on the team who could fill that spot on the field. Sometimes the team didn't do as well with the substitute player, and sometimes the team did better. For people who struggle with over-committing themselves, it's good to remember that God will find a way to accomplish his purposes.
“It is the purpose of the Lord that will stand” (Prov. 19:21).
When Moses died, Joshua took over in leading God's people (Deut. 31:23). When the prophet Elijah was taken up to heaven, God brought the prophet Elisha onto the scene (2 Kings 2:9-15). The work Moses and Elijah did was important, but it wasn't all up to them to accomplish all of God's purposes.
We can always think of something we need to be doing instead of resting. Even when we lie down, our minds may keep running, preventing us from taking the time to replenish our bodies according to God's good design.
Because we can do more doesn't necessarily mean that we should do more.
The pace of life keeps getting faster, not slower. Technology has made things easier in countless ways, while also making us feel empowered to do more and more because we can. Yet, is doing more wise? The answer to this question will be unique for each of us; our paths will be similar in some ways to those of our brothers and sisters in Christ, while different in other ways.
We all have limitations because as human beings we are all finite. We can push ourselves to do more and more, but we may end up doing unnecessary things and perhaps even things that cause harm in the long run. More is not always better. Even Jesus took time to rest (Matt. 8:24; Mark 4:38; John 4:6), and he also told his disciples to rest (Mark 6:31).
God makes all things beautiful in his time (Eccles. 3:11).
Getting too little rest makes us grumpy, short-tempered, and even a safety hazard to others as well as ourselves. When we neglect resting sufficiently over significant periods of time, our health usually suffers from it. Due to circumstances beyond our control, we can't always rest as much as we need to do, but we should try the best we can to take time to relax and be refreshed.
You are precious to God, dear saint. Your noble work in all your callings honors God and your neighbor, and diligence is a godly attribute. Yet, it is important to recognize our limitations and trust that God will make all things beautiful in his time, not ours (Eccles. 3:11). Rest in the truth that your heavenly Father is always faithful and he is watching over you with unfathomable love in all you do, including your sleep!
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