It's Okay to Take A Day of Rest

             Have you ever had one of those days when you just don’t feel like doing anything?  I don’t mean the days when you don’t feel good or your aches and pains are particularly pronounced.  I mean a day when you just want to sit and do nothing. 

            As I said in my last post, last week I was on vacation with my friends.  It was not our typical trip where we might do a little sightseeing but spend most of our time at the beach or the pool or on the balcony of our condo.  Because of our desire to travel to two specific states, we spent a lot of time on the road.  Over 5 days, I drove between 3 ½ and 6 ½ hours every day but one.  When we arrived home on Tuesday, I quickly unpacked and then completed the final preparations for the Bible Study that would be held in my home on Wednesday. 

            By the time Thursday came around, I didn’t want to do anything.  I usually walk in my neighborhood every day, but not that day.  I usually have a checklist of things that I need to accomplish each week, but that day, I couldn't care less about checking anything off the list.  I simply did not want to do anything but just sit and chill.

            We all need those kinds of days from time to time.  I think that is one reason, although not the primary reason, that God created the Sabbath.  God indicated that when He gave the second set of stone tablets to Moses.  He said, “Six days you shall labor, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even during the plowing season and harvest you must rest” (Exodus 34:21 NIV84). God knew that we each needed rest. 

            Jesus reinforced our need for rest when He saw that the disciples were besieged with so many people that they didn’t get a chance to eat.  He said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31b NIV84).  He knew that there is only so much that the human body can stand without taking time off.

The problem is that our workaholic culture makes us feel guilty when we are not being productive.  I think that is one of the reasons that I didn’t adjust well to retirement.  I was used to being busy and productive.  Thankfully, God has given me new purpose and new ways to be productive.  However, that does not minimize the need for rest.

It’s okay to take a day off and do nothing from time to time.  There’s no reason to feel guilty.  Sometimes your body knows better than you what you need.  That day I just needed to veg, and I refuse to feel guilty about it. 😊  You might want to try it sometime!

Exodus 34:21

Mark 6:31

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