Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
–Proverbs 3:5-6
I heard a pastor once preach a sermon titled, “Take it Easy.” In it he stressed the importance of having periods of rest when needed. Being lazy is not the same thing as taking rest. Being lazy and procrastinating will just make you feel more anxious in the long run.
We think that the work and ministry we do is so critical to the upkeep of our little world that if we pause to take a break or get some sleep, everything will fall apart. We feel we must be a savior to our world. But even Christ Jesus who truly was the savior of the world took breaks periodically to refresh Himself.
To think that the work we do is so critical that we can never take a break from it is really to say that the work we’re doing is more important than God’s, and that He’s not big enough to care for us. That’s why the old testament took took the sabbath so seriously.
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
–Proverbs 17:22
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life it’s that there is always something we can worry about. To rest in the Lord and give it over to Him is a continual exercise which I must practice. Something I will do is thing of the worse case scenario and tell my heart why my situation will be ok because I’m in Christ and God is in control.
When we’re getting ready for a vacation we tend to worry less and less about things happening at home or work. On some level we’ll feel, “Oh, the copy machine stopped working? Eh. Hopefully someone will fix it.” “So-and-so is being annoying. Well, that’s ok, I won’t have to deal with them for much longer.”
When we’re looking forward to our upcoming trip our problems at home don’t matter so much. As heavenly-minded Christians we’re always just a short time away from the trip we were made for. Thus focusing on Heaven and the love of God makes the hardships of this world seem bearable.
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
–Isaiah 40:30-31
Anna Sojourning 