I don’t know about you, but I just am not as good of a person when I’m tired. Some people act like they need very little sleep and they can perform fantastic – I don’t like those people. Then, I wonder, are they only fooling themselves and really don’t understand how much better they could be with more rest?
It’s interesting that the Bible has a lot to say about rest. God even through in an extra day in every week for that very purpose. Jesus, God in the flesh, intentionally pulled away from the crowds, went off on retreats (40 days in a desert), prayer times in a garden. So, who am I to think I don’t need to do similar?
My problem is that a strength of mine (according to StrengthsFinder) is achiever. Therefore, I want do it all. I want to work really hard, see progress, exercise to be as healthy as possible and be a great husband and super dad. Unfortunately, there isn’t always time to feel accomplished in all of those areas at the same time (and those aren’t all the areas). Do you ever feel that way? Strung out, pushed to the limit, going 100 miles an hour in many directions, everyone needing a piece of you.
Let this be a reminder to all the achievers and people who tend to push it as fast as possible that our Savior calls us to rest. Take your foot off the accelerator, find a quiet place to meditate and pray, get to bed a little earlier tonight, leave work a little early and hug your kids, and enjoy the earth that God put you on. I think we’ll find that He will honor our act of wisdom and bless our humility in acknowledging that He is God and we are not. Plus, we’ll probably be more pleasant to be around, I know I am.