“2So, on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” Genesis 2:1-3
Today’s message at church focused on the importance of spiritual and physical rest, which hit me square in the chest. When I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis, I was happily working two jobs and attending school full-time. My days were consistently 18 hours of non-stop activities. Following my diagnosis, I had to quit my jobs and cut back my class schedule. At one point, I wasn’t strong enough to leave my house for over a month. I lost my identify.
The following May, I graduated from undergrad and moved on to grad school, but I never regained the stamina to become as involved as my over-active brain desired. I had always been the girl who was involved in everything, and now my broken body was keeping me from doing the things I loved. It took me a long time, and honestly, I still struggle with accepting that my life now runs at a much slower pace. Today’s teaching helped me remember my identify has never been related to the works of my hands or mind as I always believed. Who I am is 100% defined by my relationship with Christ, and it is Biblical to rest in that truth.
Rest is a consistent theme throughout the Bible, beginning in Genesis 1. It is such an important part of our lives that the master of all creation set an example in the first chapter of the first book of the Bible through taking the time to sit back and enjoy his work. Resting is so critical to our well-being that the fourth commandment requires God’s people to rest on the Sabbath.
It’s no secret that this world is moving faster than ever in a nation that idolize busyness. Society runs on coffee to keep up with the mainstream perception that you must be successful in work, fitness, friendships, academics, and pop culture references. We strive to be like those surrounding us at work and in our community, who never seem to take a break, which ends in us crashing on the couch watching Netflix for hours due to exhaustion and emotional fatigue.
Not only is taking time to rest Biblical, scientific studies have proven the benefits of sleep on memory, overall bodily function, and relationships. Additional studies have proven stress is toxic to human body. According to The Mayo Clinic, common effects of stress include headache, muscle pain/tension, fatigue, upset stomach, and sleep problems. Does that sound like any chronic illness you know?
Lately, I have continually struggled with hand pain and mobility. While we are still searching for the root cause, we have determined that a large part of my pain is directly related to my stress levels. If you are struggling with autoimmune disease, or if you are perfectly “healthy”, not only is it ok, IT IS CRUCIAL to take the necessary time to rest and reset. As my pastor said this morning, “we were created to be before we were created to do.”
Creating the Sabbath, a time specifically set aside for His people to rest and reset, is one of God’s first gifts to us. Yes, the Sabbath typically refers to Sunday, but all people need mini-Sabbaths throughout the week, especially those struggling with chronic illness. The Mayo Clinic suggests regular physical activity, relaxation techniques, socializing, and setting aside time for hobbies unrelated to watching TV or scrolling through Instagram to help minimize stress (aka maximizing rest time).
I plan to implement these simple tasks throughout my day and make a conscious decision to rest in the fact that my identity and worth are not related to my work. As much as I love my job, and as hard as I work for my patients, I will take the time to realize that the Lord has a perfect will and plan for my life that is completely uncorrelated with the works of my own hands. Today, I challenge you to do the same.