Genesis 2:1-3 Complete Jewish Bible
2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, along with everything in them. 2 On the seventh day God was finished with his work which he had made, so he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. 3 God blessed the seventh day and separated it as holy; because on that day God rested from all his work which he had created, so that it itself could produce.
Word of God for the Children of God
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
How often have you uttered any of these statements in the last few moments minutes, hours, days, weeks or months?
“I’m tired.”
“I need a break.”
“I could really use some time off.”
“I wish I had just one more hour of sleep.”
Or even,
“I am so ready for a vacation.”
For some, like my wife, it might be, “I could use a long vacation right now.”
These statements are indicators you need rest.
The challenge is we live in a world that often runs at an exhausting pace, and the last thing we want to do is rest because we feel there is so much more to do.
While you might think there is something more noble in that, the truth tells us something different. God, in his infinitely greater wisdom, commands us to rest, and the benefits of rest are not just a luxury, they are really a necessity.
Exodus 20:10-11 Complete Jewish Bible
10 but the seventh day is a Shabbat for Adonai your God. On it, you are not to do any kind of work — not you, your son or your daughter, not your male or female slave, not your livestock, and not the foreigner staying with you inside the gates to your property. 11 For in six days, Adonai made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. This is why Adonai had blessed the day, Shabbat, and separated it for himself.
As we consider this weighty topic, I want to be both spiritual and practical because, for as you will see, lack of rest is clearly not in your best interest.
What are the effects of lack of rest?
Sleep deficiency is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Sleep deficiency is also linked to a higher chance of injury in adults, teens, and children.
What happens to the body if it doesn’t rest?
Higher stress levels
It all comes back to cortisol, the stress hormone: Sleep deprivation may raise cortisol levels, which can contribute to weight gain, heart disease, anxiety, signs of aging and so much more.
Can you get sick from lack of rest?
Yes.
Lack of sleep can affect your immune system.
Studies show that people who don’t get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus, such as a common cold virus.
Lack of sleep also can affect how fast you get better if you do get sick.
What happens to your brain when you don’t rest?
Studies indicate that lack of sleep leads to neurological damage in the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in learning and memory.
God Established the Principle of Rest
Before God ever established the law, he established a principle of rest.
Unlike us, God did not need to rest, because he does not get tired.
He rested because he was setting a standard for us to follow.
Later on, when God gave the law, he further solidified this principle.
Exodus 23:10-12 Complete Jewish Bible
10 “For six years, you are to sow your land with seed and gather in its harvest. 11 But the seventh year, you are to let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor among your people can eat; and what they leave, the wild animals in the countryside can eat. Do the same with your vineyard and olive grove.
12 “For six days, you are to work. But on the seventh day, you are to rest, so that your ox and donkey can rest, and your slave-girl’s son and the foreigner be renewed.
The Physical Implications of a Lack of Rest
Find yourself tired or exhausted?
It could be you are violating the principle of rest.
It is a lot easier to do that now.
If you go back in time, most businesses used to be closed on Sundays.
Not anymore.
Beyond that, studies have shown we are sleeping less and working more.
Even when we take time off from work, we don’t even know how to enjoy that properly.
Consider these statistics from Forbes.
- 54% of people work while on vacation.
- 59% of people struggle to switch off from work while on vacation.
- 63% of people feel anxious if they don’t check their work-related messages while on vacation.
- 86% of people receive relaxation-disrupting calls and messages from colleagues while on vacation.
- 54% feel guilty if they work while on vacation.
- 47% feel guilty if they don’t work while on vacation.
- One in four admitted that their boss demands them to work on vacations.
- 34% of people choose to work while on vacation because they love their job. However, 29% do so out of fear of losing it.
This lack of rest ultimately can have physical, emotional, and mental health implications. Within that same article, they mentioned two alarming statistics.
- 70% of people have experienced mental health issues due to overworking, with 43% suffering from anxiety and one in eight turning to harmful substances.
- Two-thirds of workers have experienced alarming physical health issues, such as chronic pain and a weakened immune system, caused by overworking.
Further medical research has connected a lack of rest to several serious issues, including obesity, depression, heart failure, and even dementia.
Employees that don’t get enough rest are far more likely to be unfocused, miss days of work or get injured on the job.
With all these potential consequences from a lack of rest, clearly God knew what he was doing when he commanded us to rest.
He was looking out for our overall well-being.
Lack of Rest Has Spiritual Implications
Matthew 11:28-30 New American Standard Bible 1995
28 “Come to Me, all [a]who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is [b]easy and My burden is light.”
Lack of rest goes beyond just affecting job performance or health.
There are also some serious spiritual consequences that can result from a lack of rest.
Sometimes as Christians, we treat busy and tired as a badge of honor.
If you are extremely busy and exhausted, you must be doing something right.
While it could be true, have you considered it might do more harm than good?
Here is a simple truth I want you to consider.
A tired Christian is a vulnerable Christian.
If you ever watch sports, pay attention to what happens to athletes when they get tired.
They may have lots of energy, fight, and enthusiasm when the game starts.
However, when the game lingers on and fatigue sets in, you may notice their energy levels drop.
The strength and passion they had at the beginning diminishes.
When this happens, they can be a little less focused and pay less attention to details.
They may also lose the will to win.
When you are tired, you are more likely to give up, give in, or give out.
This same principle applies spiritually.
When you are tired, you become more prone to temptation, you may lose patience with other people, which can easily badly damage relationships, and spending time in prayer and in the word becomes less of a priority.
You just may not have the energy to do it.
That’s why you become vulnerable and why rest is so important.
There is a saying that I heard that says fatigue makes cowards of us all.
By ignoring your need for rest and pushing yourself beyond that, you are setting yourself up for failure.
Lack of rest is not a badge of honor but a recipe for disaster.
When you violate God’s principle of rest, as you can see, it comes with some potentially severe, even lethal consequences.
Jesus Spoke and Reiterated the Need for Us to Rest
When Jesus walked the earth, he was cognizant of the need for us to rest.
Going to work, whether secular or sacred, can drain us and we need to recharge.
You cannot pour from an empty cup.
Jesus even recognized this with his disciples.
In Mark’s gospel, Jesus commissions his disciples and sends them out to work.
“Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits” (Mark 6:6-7).
“So they went out and preached that people should repent. And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them” (Mark 6:12-13).
The disciples went out and did this ministry work.
When they returned, look at what Jesus tells his disciples.
“Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And He said to them, ‘Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.’ For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves” (Mark 6:30-32).
The disciples worked so hard they did not even have time to rest or eat.
Jesus told them to stop, get away from the people around you, rest, and eat.
The disciples followed his instructions, got in a boat, and went on a cruise to a deserted place.
How many times have you worked through lunch, skipped a meal, or given up sleep because there was a sudden onslaught of work you needed to finish?
That might be okay for a brief period, but Jesus recognized that is not a good long-term strategy. He clearly defines there is a time to work and a time to rest.
My friends, you do not differ from the disciples.
You need times where you get away from the busyness of life and rest for a while. Take your cue from Jesus and do what the disciples did. Go on a retreat.
Final Thought
As long as you live, there will always be a time to work and a time to rest.
This is the principle and cycle that God established for us from the beginning, and if you violate that principle, eventually you will most assuredly give out.
You will have no strength left, nothing left to offer, cup is empty, you can’t pour anything from an empty cup, so stop believing you can “fake it till you make it.”
Acknowledge that it is okay and wise to rest.
Proverbs 3:5-8 Complete Jewish Bible
5 Trust in Adonai with all your heart;
do not rely on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him;
then he will level your paths.
7 Don’t be conceited about your own wisdom;
but fear Adonai, and turn from evil.
8 This will bring health to your body
and give strength to your bones.
God established rest as a principle and then a command. Jesus reinforced that idea. Now you need to incorporate rest into your life. There will always be more to do, but if you don’t get proper rest, then you might not be around to do it.
19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of[a] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember,[b] I am with you always,[c] to the end of the age.”
Praying …
The Lord Is My Shepherd
A Psalm of David.
23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.[a]
3 He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness[b]
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[c]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely[d] goodness and mercy[e] shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell[f] in the house of the Lord
forever.[g]
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 