By Alick Mvula

“I need to get to work, then I have to go to the supermarket and get some groceries. After that I need to visit a friend. I have a lot of other things I need to do as well, I’m really busy.”

Life has become so demanding and so involved that we forget to rest. Especially for young people, there is just so much that needs to be done. Much is expected of each of us. Between school, work, sports, leisure, family, church and many other things – we are always on the move.

All these activities are very important and often beneficial to us in more ways than one. We need them to keep our lives balanced and to keep living out our plans and our dreams. However, getting some rest is equally important. What’s the point of studying so hard and getting good grades if at the end of the day your health is poor?

We need some rest in our lives! Not only sleeping, but also having time to ourselves away from the busyness of our lives. Rest is important not only for our physical health, but our mental and spiritual health as well. Reading a book, taking a walk, listening to music, or anything that makes us relax and do away with the world’s demand for a while will do the trick.

Overworking ourselves can lead to being stressed, physical changes, and if not properly dealt with, it can even lead to death. Rest is important to an individual’s spiritual walk with God. Rest enables our mind and soul to relax and helps us to start afresh and stay productive. When we our well rested, our attention can be placed more fully on the Father’s work.

“For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of obedience.” Hebrews 4:10-11

God, the Master of the Universe, took time to rest from his work. As human beings, who are we not to rest or find our Sabbath in him? Resting in God might mean you spend some quality time with him. Sometimes young people get so caught up in many activities that we fail to spend quality time with God.

What are some ways we can spend quality time with God? It might be through meditating, prayer, reading the Bible, singing, or even just laying down and speaking to God like a friend. Whatever you do, make sure you find rest in God and rest for yourself.

The world today moves so fast that everything happens in the blink of an eye. But this is no excuse not to find time to rest. Imagine how busy God was when he was creating the world, yet he still found time to rest. No matter how life’s demands accumulate, the call to rest is not only a need for a person’s well-being, but it is a requirement for a Christian who wants to abide in God’s love more fully.

QUESTIONS

• How often do you include ‘rest’ in your busy schedule?


• What are some of the practices you do when you rest?


• In your own opinion how does resting fulfill God’s command?


• Do you overlook resting in your daily life? If so how? How can you adjust your schedule to allow for this important practice?