I work 36 hours a week as a manager at McDonald’s, I take classes for college and any extra free time I have is devoted to the internship I am currently in. People tell me that rest is important, but I promise that no one gives me the opportunity to rest. When I have to make money to pay for bills but I am also expected to work another full time job that gives me no paycheck, I get the harsh realities of nights where I may only sleep for three hours. I am always busy, I am always going, I am always doing. If I fail to do something or meet someone else’s expectations of the tasks I can complete, I feel like a failure, so I continue to work and work until I have nothing else to give. No one has told me to do this, but no one gives me any other choice. I either live this lifestyle or I face the rejection of those around me.
This culture talks about how hard work is essential to success. Hard work equals endless hours spent at a job, staying constantly busy. Sleeping in or having nothing to do is the equivalent of laziness. You must constantly look for the next project, the next person to see or activity to do or you are wrong. Even when we take time to participate in hobbies we find enjoyable, if we put aside our current lists of tasks, even for a moment, we must not have our priorities straight, right?
Wrong. Rest is so important. Without rest, our work suffers and our attentiveness decreases. If we fail to rest, we will become lazy because we become incapable of doing our work at all. This culture likes to tell us that we must invest all our time and energy into jobs or projects, neglecting our own needs in the process, but doing this will only leave a person feeling exhausted and burnt out. You should never feel sorry for resting. You should never feel sorry for sleeping in after a long day of work. You should never feel sorry for investing in hobbies and activities you find enjoyable because having hobbies will refresh you and give you solace. You should never feel sorry for spending time with people instead of doing more work because these people bring you joy and encourage you. You also should never, ever feel bad about spending time with God instead of concentrating on every task you must complete. Businesses, ministries and jobs may encourage you to spend more time at work on your days off instead of encouraging rest, but you need days off and you should never feel sorry for taking those days off.
Even though work is important as well, we must be aware that we need to work in order to rest. So, shake off your fears of taking some time investing in yourself, and go get some much needed rest today.
