Your Humanity Gives You Permission To Rest

I dread this polite question people ask in passing. How are you? Out of instinct my response, and the response I find myself receiving, is I’m good or I’m so busy. 

I catch myself thinking, am I really that busy? Why? Is this good? How can I hit the brakes and get off the busy bus? 

It doesn’t matter what season of life we find ourselves in, there’s always something that needs our attention. 

The moment I finish a writing deadline, it’s time to work on the next project. And when I finish work, the chores around the house must get done. I also want to exercise, spend time with my friends and family, and still prioritize time with Jesus. Just thinking about the to-do list makes me squirm. 

If I’m completely honest, there have been days where the work of my vocation, relationships, and house send me sprinting for the finish line without much thought to scarfing down food, acknowledging the people around me, and dare I say, taking a shower to wipe off the grime of the day’s work.  

A rhythm of busyness is not sustainable long term and will only leave us stretched thin, squeezing more into our calendar while squeezing the very life out of us.

To learn a better way, we must look to the life of Jesus. His days were filled with people to see, places to go, and assignments to complete. But He never adopted a lifestyle of busyness that kept Him distracted from what mattered most. 

If we want to live a fulfilling, sustainable life, we must stay connected to the Giver of life.

We can work countless hours and burn the midnight oil, but productivity will eventually wane. And sooner or later we will begin to realize we’ve turned into a producer rather than a person who creates.

The antidote Jesus shows us is rest. 

How to Find Rest in the Busyness 

Jesus never asks us to do something He has not modeled first. A verse that continually amazes me is Mark 6:31 where Jesus says, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Right before this invitation, Mark comments how the disciples were so busy teaching and healing that they didn’t even have time to eat!

Can you relate to being so focused on the next thing you forget the fuel needed to sustain the task you’re working on? 

I love how Jesus often parallels real life situations with Himself. The disciples needed physical food to continue their work, but it goes deeper. They needed the Bread of Life to sustain them for the work they had been called to do. Let me change one word here to make this personal. 

You need the Bread of Life to sustain you for the work you have been called to do. 

But Laura, you don’t know how chaotic my life is. You’re right. I don’t know your specific circumstances. But I do know the common denominator for both of us. There will always be more demands. If we cater to the demands and let busyness rule us, burnout will follow. 

It may be hard to find time to rest and lay down the work, but just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s not profitable.

Put the phone down. Turn off the computer. Get outside. You need spiritual self-care if you’re going to live this life to the glory of God. It doesn’t have to be complicated. 

I went into a long weekend getaway with my friend from college feeling exhausted from a busy week. After turning off the work notifications, I found myself laughing, reading, enjoying the outdoors, savoring food, embracing vulnerability, and seeking to grow in Christ-likeness. By the time my bags were packed to head home, I was bracing for another busy week. But that in-between period made all the difference in keeping my gaze fixed on what mattered.

Even after the disciples spent time resting, they were immediately surrounded by another swarm of people and tasks to do. 

But there’s a key difference in taking time to rest. The period away from the chaos refreshes us to step back into our lives and work from a place of abundance instead of scarcity. When we choose to refrain from work for a time and press pause, it actually gives us the upward momentum we need to come back ready to accomplish more. 

But. . .

I often find myself adding that caveat. 

The emails will only pile up. The to-do list will only get longer. The busyness will only mount. 

It doesn’t make sense to our finite brains. And yet, God uses these moments to remind us He is limitless, and we are not. If Jesus, the God-man, entered into time and space, and lived in our twenty-four hour day and chose to step away from the crowds and responsibilities for a moment, then rest must be important—to Him and for us. 

When we rest, we give ourselves permission to breathe. Time away helps us revisit our responsibilities with clarity, purpose, and wisdom. We begin to understand what is the first priority and where we need to pivot. 

The email inbox may increase. But you’ve given yourself space to know how and what to respond. 

The to-do list may pile up, but you can discern what deserves your attention first. 

Busyness may swirl around you, but you begin to counter a culture that tells you to do instead of think. To hustle instead of wait. To pursue your ambitions without the power and work of Christ in your life. 

Rest gives us time to reset so we can focus on what matters.

Whatever you’re walking into the week feeling, take a moment to resist the busyness. Accept the invitation from Jesus to rest. Your opposition to the chaos and busyness may just show someone else there’s more to being human than hustle. 

For His Glory,