“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
As you read this title, you may wonder how anyone can rest at work! If we consider "resting at work" as the same as "napping on the job," then we risk being dismissed or, at the least, reprimanded. That kind of "rest at work" would not be a popular attitude for an employer or manager to witness. However, as you know, this is not the kind of rest we are talking about.
What does it mean to rest in God at work? Resting in God means having a deep sense of peace, despite work responsibilities, demands, stresses, and conflicts. Instead of reacting with worldly principles, it means using God's principles.
As I think about my past week at work, I recognize that the pressure of the moment(s) often overshadowed the peace God wanted me to have. As I dealt with the continued aftermath of COVID, unwell staff, how to word a job advertisement or how to complete everything I needed to do, I must be honest and say there were many times I needed to remember that Jesus said to go to Him when I was feeling "weary and burdened." I continued to try to rush through the day and be effective, and allowed myself to become "unrested" to say the least. If I had turned to God more often during the day, acknowledged He was in control, and had all the answers, I would have experienced rest from the pressures of my day.
God's rest does not mean an absence of the measure of responsibility I have, but rather, it means that God's measurement of true rest is sufficient for each task. And that measurement is the percentage of the day I turn to Him and remain in relationship with Him.
Knowing how to rest in God leads to less stress, more peace, productivity, and more opportunities to witness. And how can we reach that rest at work? Jesus tells us that He will give us rest. We just need to receive his instruction and go to Him.
It is tough to be at your best when you are not healthy or rested. What kinds of tasks, responsibilities, relationships, or decisions at work are making you weary and burdened? These are the reasons you must enter God's rest, or they will lead to fatigue, stress, and inefficiencies.
God has answers for you: you need to go to Him.
God has direction for you: you need to go to Him.
God has principles for you: you need to go to Him.
God has the peace you long for: you need to go to Him.
This week, consider what areas of your work make you weary or burdened.
Is it something that has just occurred, or is it a long-standing issue that needs to be resolved?
Is it a personal issue that fatigues you, so you are weary before you even get to work?
Is it just having too much to do? Write down three things that are making you tired.
Over the next few weeks, we will dive deeper into God's Word on entering His rest. This week, I hope you will pray the following prayer in preparation for learning how to enter His rest more often, more thoroughly, and more thankfully.
Taking This to God in Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your promises and loving guidance. As your child, I know that true rest comes only from You. Forgive me for all the times at work I either forget this or try to do it on my own. I know this leads to fatigue and stress. When I look back on Your faithfulness under challenging situations, I can see Your hand at work in ways I could not ever have imagined would be possible. You opened and closed doors that I can see now needed to be opened and closed. This week, I pray for Your guidance and rest for what is most on my heart right now. When I start to feel tension, unrest, or anxiety at work, help this to be my cue to automatically turn to You for help, so I can honor You, bless others and be in Your rest. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
I wish you a wonderful, restful week at work. God Bless,
Bonny, Christian Women at Work