Wrestling for Rest 

God on Monday
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Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. (Matt. 11:28)

Reflection

Ironically, getting rest can often be a stressful endeavour. Often two factors are at play here. On the one hand, we experience feelings of guilt for even entertaining the idea that some kind of rest might be needed. Just one more email to send, a phone call to make or a loose end to tie up.  Rest can wait, we tell ourselves.

On the other hand, we are frequently inundated with memes, ads and apps admonishing us about the importance of self-care and taking time out.

Enter Jesus. In today’s passage, he redefines rest as neither a guilty pleasure nor a cold command. Rest is an encounter with God. ‘Come to me…’ he says. It is an invitation to be conscious of the presence of God, even in the midst of tough circumstances.

This is not about ‘vibrating higher’. Nor is it about throwing our worries into the whims of an impersonal universe. Rather, it is a response to the call of Jesus to trust him with the burdens of life.

Enjoying this kind of rest requires humility. Exercising humility creates space for trust to grow – the trust we need to believe that the things we deem to be so urgent can wait.

For Christians, therefore, rest is not merely a physical, mental or emotional matter. It is also a spiritual matter. For it involves an admission of our limitations and a confession of our dependence upon God. 

Response

• Try to ‘just be’ in God’s presence. Do so in silence – no phone, music, noise or interruptions. Change your location if necessary.
• Read a Psalm as a prayer. 
• Go for a walk, or do some vigorous exercise that requires you to stop thinking about your work.
• If it suits your overall sleep pattern, take a nap!

Prayer

Lord, help me to accept your invitation to rest. Let me rest from worries and my attempts to fix things, including my shortcomings. Thank you that rest is not a luxury but something you call me to do. It is something that will make me more like you. It will make me less busy but more fruitful. Amen.

This Week's Author

God on Monday is produced in partnership with the Church of England. The reflections are based on the scriptural readings designated for the coming Sunday in the Church's lectionary. You can sign up to Faith in Business here to receive each God on Monday instalment. 

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