Recall with me a scene from It’s a Wonderful Life— the one just after George finds out that the town’s money, for which he was responsible, is missing. The friends he grew up with, cared for and loved are panicking, yelling at him (lots of demands.) He feels the weight of their worried chaos, but is unable to meet what’s demanded of him and for that he’s filled with visible guilt and shame. Too overwhelmed to process what the heck is going on in his life—the one he had such big dreams for which were sacrificed on the altar of neighborly love—that just got upheaved. And so he walks, numbly, to his “safe place”: home.
But there’s no rest there; only more demands.
His time is wanted. His attention is wanted. His affection is wanted. And he can’t give any of it because his heart has been scooped out by a spoon of unexpected loss and his mind is on the autobahn racing with no exit ramp in sight. Except one. The bridge.
In a less dramatic reminiscence of this scenario, I was recently on the phone with a friend of mine who was having a kicker of a day. As she was recanting all its gory details while simultaneously pondering why she was so stressed, I listened to the background noise. Her husband had decided to self-teach himself on his daughter’s cello via the same piece of music, played over and over again. In the same room two of her children were fighting over control of the volume-heavy TV, while her youngest was literally crawling all over, grabbing at body parts, demanding answers to all her many questions.
Finally, I interrupted my friend and asked her if she ever saw It’s a Wonderful Life because all I knew was that after five minutes of listening on the other end of the phone, I myself wanted to go to the bridge. There was no rest there. Her ears, eyes, body and mind were being bombarded with constant attack—sound, light, movement and thought.
And like George Bailey, my friend was in deficit.
She needed rest.
Something more than a nap. Although a nap is a beautiful thing.
In music, R E S T refers to the moment of silence heard between sounds
In decorating, R E S T is the negative space between fixtures that creates a break for your brain, resulting in a room of balance
In your brain, R E S T in activity is what allows for creative incubation and healing.
In agriculture, R E S T involves letting the ground lie fallow and remain unworked, thereby never allowing the crops to completely deplete the soil of any one nutrient. It can restore fertility.
In law, R E S T is to voluntarily end the introduction of evidence in a case.
My point is that in all these cases, resting is not an option. It is a necessity, built into the very structure of our activity and perception. Brilliance, creativity, beauty, answer and just plain life come when rest is added to the mix.
God’s always demonstrated this.
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rest from their works, just as God did from His. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.
Hebrews 4:9-11
Jesus had people constantly vying for his attention, making demands of His time. Yet, while loving and caring for them all, He too found ways to rest.
Why then is it so hard for us?
I think all of us know how to park ourselves on the couch—or even in bed—but our minds are engaged in an endless Ironman, racing through muck and obstacles with no finish line in sight. We are exhausted. Battle-worn. We want to engage in the moment; to hear the soul of music or see the beauty in a simple flower; to wrap our arms around a loved one and give comfort.
But when we reach into our reserves, there is none. They are as empty as George’s vault. Our energy has been spent already.
Who or what is this thief that has tightened its grip around our peace? Our rest? Our energy? Is it actually the “extra” activities, the demanding boss, the caustic friends, the disrespectful kids, the uncaring spouse, the wildcard political leaders?
It’s you. It’s me.
We are Mr. Potter. Except that we steal from ourselves, filling our days to the rim, knowing full well (best intentions aside) that we will not be fully engaged in whatever we do. We grade papers at our kids games, return emails or troll instagram on our dates, watch television while playing Shoots and Ladders, and clean the house while trying to comfort a friend on the phone. Because there are no margins in our lives. There is no room for error. But error happens. And when it does… sleep is lost as we toss and turn, wrestling with guilt and anxiety. Our minds won’t shut down because there are too many conversations to replay over and over again because you feel like you are disappointing everyone. Rest becomes like an antique, placed on the shelf. We know its value. We appreciate its beauty, but incorporating into our lives would require a level of safeguarding and care that seems impossible amidst everything else. Not in this day and age. Not with our life or calling. We have enough to worry about without having to worry about rest too. We have enough to fail at without having to fail at that too.
We’ve been deceived.
Our hearts are not malcontent. Our motives are not impure. Our goals are not lofty. Our love is not tarnished… we are just tired.
So tired.
Only you know what rest looks like for you. It’s most probably on a continuum of change. One day you may find rest from a crossword puzzle, but the next in a long silly conversation with your friend. Rest could erupt in the middle of getting ready for the day when your favorite song comes on and it leads you to your knees or to sing along a little. Seek those times. Grafting them into our lives will take diligence, but the payout will be immeasurable.
Stop feeling guilty for needing something that God has gifted us as a good command from the beginning.
And let’s not forget, the best rest of all. With Christ as our confession, we find rest in being with Him. Joy and peace will also join.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give your rest.
Matthew 11:28
The LORD replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
Exodus 33:14
Those who walk uprightly into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.
Isaiah 57:2
Such wise words and aptly timed!