In Leviticus 23, God gives Moses instructions regarding Appointed Festivals. These are official days for holy assembly. Like a national holiday but with more requirements. Like rest.
The Sabbath, which happens every week, is already a day of complete rest. Then there are the festivals with days where everyone must stop all their ordinary work or do no work at all. They must observe these days as well as the Sabbath. If they work, there are consequences like this:
“And I will destroy anyone among you who does any work on that day. You must not do any work at all! This is a permanent law for you, and it must be observed from generation to generation wherever you live” (Leviticus 23:30-31, NLT).
If I was an Israelite living at that time, I really wouldn’t have any complaints. I don’t have to work but God still provides for me? Who would complain?
It’s interesting though that God had to decree days of rest. Like He knew something the people didn’t. Shocker.
Working all the time has its dangers, like:
1. We could be working towards nothing. Working all the time does not mean you’re a hard-working person. Sometimes we work and work towards a goal that only adds grief to our lives.
2. We endanger our health physically, emotionally, and mentally.
3. We spend less and less time with our family.
4. We spend less and less time with God. We lose our focus on God and work becomes an idol. Pride, greed, and selfishness takes root.
Even in the ministry, working all the time is not good for us or anyone around us. We need a balance of working hard and resting. Some of us need to work hard at resting!
Think of it as God’s decree. You must obey or else.
Or else…
You can burn out.
You can become bitter and resentful.
You can physically collapse from exhaustion.
You can spend less and less time with your family.
You can spend less and less time with God.
What?!? Less time with family and God?
But it’s true. Even working all the time and working hard in the ministry can mean we end up spending less time with the people who comes before the ministry.
Sometimes we think that if we’re giving our all to the ministry, we’re giving our all to God. But that’s just not true. Our personal relationship with Him comes first and foremost. The ministry can become a hindrance if we’re not giving our all to that personal relationship.
I love the idea of being forced to rest. But admittedly, nobody has to force me to rest! Not anymore anyway. I learned the hard way that I need to take time to take care of myself, sort my priorities, refocus, and reconnect with God, my source of everything.
And I’ve also learned how to rest. From reading a book that has nothing to do with the ministry (or writing) to sleeping in. From doing something creative with my hands (like knitting or drawing) to browsing Pinterest. I’ve spent entire Saturdays doing no work at all. It was weird at first. I had to keep reminding myself not to write a blog post or plan a ministry event. It was a day to just do relaxing things. Come Sunday morning, I was refreshed and energized.
What about you? Does someone have to force you to rest? And what do you do to rest?
Linking up with Testimony Tuesday, Titus 2 Tuesday, and Teaching What is Good.
