Do you dare to stop and pause?
Do you feel guilty when you take a break?
Do you need permission to enjoy a “me-time”?
I am kind of going through a funk, where I am doing a little above minimum and constantly procrastinating, then feeling guilty for not being productive and wasting time (scrolling through social media). I feel there are many things on my plate, big rocks and small pebbles, crowding my life. I spend almost as much time and energy attempting to do my work as avoiding them, especially when they don’t have urgent deadlines.
Rest is God’s Design
During this time, God is reminding me that He has established a time to work and a time to rest, just like what He did in the creation of the world. Our bodies are designed to rest after work, or it will break down and insist upon it. There is always enough time to do the work God has assigned to us. So if we are feeling overwhelmed, it is a sign that we are overloading ourselves with non-essential work and/or inundated with distractions.
“On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.”
— Genesis 2:2 (NLT)
Jesus Invites us to Rest
In this hectic life, we are constantly striving. It has become a norm – we sometimes forget to ask what are we really striving for. Jesus is inviting us and giving us permission to take a break from the hustle bustle of life. He invites us to rest and trust in His providence, His protection and in His timing.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
Stillness Reveals God’s Presence
In the midst of all the noise, it is only in the stillness that we can listen to the soft whisper of God’s voice. He wants us to be still in His presence. He wants us to experience Him in the stillness.
“Be still, and know that I am God.”
— Psalm 46:10 (NIV)
My Invitation
This is my invitation to you today: give yourself permission to take a break without guilt, and be still in God’s presence as He refreshes your soul.