I am one of those people who loves to see things get done. If you give me a job to do, I will get right on it and do whatever I can to see it through. Now, there is nothing wrong with overseeing a project through to completion and making sure that every step is done properly and on time. If we did not have project managers who operate with excellence a lot of projects would be found to be faulty in more ways than one. But there is something that we need to be mindful of in the project of life. We need to be reminded that there is something just as important as work; and that is rest! We must take time to rest.
Rest is what is needed for us to relax, be refreshed, and recover. Even the cute little energizer bunny’s charge eventually runs out. It may take a little longer, but even it cannot just keep going on forever without being re-charged.
When we rest we get to relax. When we relax, we become less anxious, less rigid, and more enjoyable. It is not easy being around someone who is always anxious and uptight. When we rest we are refreshed. We gain renewed strength. We have more energy and become reinvigorated. It is like walking in a desert, becoming parched and receiving a drink of cool water. When we recover we are recuperated. Recuperation is returning to a state of wellness. It is regaining all that we’ve lost.
The medical profession tells us that the human body needs a certain amount of sleep each night to maintain good physical and emotional health. And yet we pay it no mind and think it is okay to operate on as little sleep as possible. When opportunities come our way to help lessen our workload instead of taking advantage of it and taking time to rest; we put something else in its place. And instead of just saying no to some things that are asked of us; we say yes to everything. I wonder how many lives have been lost due to someone falling asleep behind the wheel of their car because they thought that they could make it without stopping to rest.
I am convinced that rest is the gift that keeps right on giving. It gives us peace and joy, prolongs our lives, and makes us more enjoyable to be a round. Hey, can I encourage you, today, to go and take a nap? Don’t mind if I do! Watch out recliner, bed, or couch…here I come!
