We all need rest. In fact, God knew that rest would be essential for our wellbeing, so He built a sleep cycle into our body’s functions. During sleep, our bodies recharge, and our minds quiet down. Doctors and scientists have many different opinions about how long we should sleep, when we should sleep, or how we should sleep. But they all agree that sleep is a necessary part of living.
Sleep plays a significant role in our lives. If you have a baby, sleep is the principal concern – for everyone! Small children fight sleep and get cranky. Teenage children can sleep all day. In our 20’s, who cared if we ever slept? In our 30’s we prioritized nightlife over sleeping. Then as life settled down a bit, sleep began to be more commonplace, however, if we missed sleep we could still recover quickly. But now as we get older, it seems that sleep eludes us. There are nights that either falling asleep or staying asleep is problematic. And missing too much sleep can ruin our days. I find that sleep is a regular topic of conversation, especially among people my age. Have you ever awakened and counted the hours that you slept and allowed that number to determine how you feel? Maybe we are too focused on sleep? I think the question should be, “how much rest did we get?” It’s possible that a few hours of sleep provide all the rest we need. Or maybe we do need 9 or 10 hours of sleep to be fully rested. In any case, what’s important is the rest we receive, not the hours we sleep. This kind of rest provides rejuvenation.
My friend Merriam-Webster says the following about rest: 1: REPOSE, SLEEP; specifically, a bodily state characterized by minimal functional and metabolic activities 2: freedom from activity or labor 3: peace of mind or spirit
We can see from these definitions that sleep is only one kind of rest. It’s probably our most familiar or sought-after form of rest, but it’s not the only kind of rest we need.
Have you ever worked in the yard for hours? Or cleaned the house from morning to night? Or worked at a demanding job all day? At the end of those efforts, you are ready to rest! Your body is tired, and your energy is spent. You need the “freedom from activity or labor” kind of rest. This rest involves relaxation. You may need a nap or a hot shower or just sitting for a while. And although, sleep is always a welcomed friend after a hard day’s work; simply relaxing for a while can provide the desired respite before taking on other activities. This kind of rest provides recuperation.
Rest from labor can be as simple as a change of pace. There are times that we work hard to finish a task so that we can participate in another activity. That change of pace provides rest to us. A good example is cleaning the house for a party. We can scramble all day preparing for a party, even to the point of exhaustion. But when the festivities begin, we have freedom from all that labor – hence rest and restoration of energy.
I will add, that just like people need different amounts of sleep, people need different amounts of rest from activity or labor. I know people who are on the go all day with no appearance of fatigue. And I know others whose stamina is limited. Rest is an individual requisite.
How about the end of a stressful situation? Or recovering from an illness? The conclusion of a worrisome circumstance definitely produces rest. However, this rest is more of the “peace of mind or spirit” kind of rest. This rest is usually received by deliberate decisions in our minds. We engage our thoughts of patience and perseverance and determine that we won’t give up. We remain steadfast in our convictions and claim our deliverance from unfavorable situations. When we do that, we receive the calming rest that comes from successfully weathering the storm. The things we learn from standing fast in adversity are lessons that we can carry with us throughout our lives. This rest is not only peace of mind, but also rejoicing in our victory.
This reminds me of the custom behind the Biblical parable of the woman who lost one of her ten pieces of silver. The ten pieces of silver were small silver coins that were hooked in a wife’s hair and worn only on the most special occasions. They were the most precious gift she received from her husband because they were a family heirloom of great significance. Their value was more sentimental than monetary, but a wife losing one would bring her great shame. So, if a wife did lose one, she would not stop searching until she found it. She had rest only after she found the lost piece of silver. Her neighbors rejoiced with her because they all knew the consequences of losing one of those silver coins. When her task was finished, she rested with a profound sense of relief and much celebration.
There is an element of reward in this kind of rest. Think of it in your own life. Isn’t it fulfilling to work hard and finish a task? It is so satisfying to rest with that sense of accomplishment. That rest is our reward for a job well done. And looking forward to that rest motivates us to complete our task. It’s a gratifying cycle. I should note, however, that rest is not the end of the cycle. It is the regrouping, refreshing, re-energizing part that not only rewards us, but also prepares us to tackle the next challenge.
There is one more definition of rest that wasn’t covered by my friend Merriam-Webster, and that is the Biblical usage of the word, which indicates completion. This is used in Genesis 2:2 where it says that God rested on the 7th day from all His work of creation. He didn’t rest because He was tired or because His energy was spent, but because the work was finished. God resting on the 7th day signified that His creation was complete. Nothing was missing and nothing needed to be or could be added. God rested to demonstrate that work of creation was done.
It also says in Matthew 16:19 that Jesus Christ was received up into heaven and sat on the right hand of God. The word “sat” in this verse carries the same indication of the work being finished. Jesus Christ completed all the work necessary for our salvation and then he sat, he rested, and his sitting denotes that the work is done.
Life in this world can burden us with situations and circumstances that place great demands on our time, energy, and convictions. It can weigh us down with hardships and heartaches. Life can be cruel. But Jesus Christ said that if we come to him, he will give us rest. His finished work enables us to face the heavy burdens of the world because he provides the rest we need for recuperation and rejuvenation. We can have rest because God’s constant support helps us conquer the world’s demands. We can have peace of mind in the midst of the world’s insanity because we can fill our minds with the sound thoughts of God’s Word. And because we can have no fear, our sleep can be sweet. (Proverbs 3:24)
Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
That is a promise!
Note to my readers: Enjoy your rest! Thanks for reading!