My kids have a phrase they use when somebody’s getting carried away: “You doin’ too much.” Sometimes they say it to each other. Sometimes they say it to me.
One morning, while I was trying to settle down for my devotions, I felt like the Holy Spirit took that little phrase and aimed it right at my soul: Thomas, you doin’ too much.
My body knew it. My mind knew it. Deep down, my soul knew it. So naturally, I argued with it.
I like getting things done. But I can get a lot done in a day and still go to bed knowing I barely listened to somebody I love. That’s what made me ask: What is the pace of my life doing to me and to the people I love?
How do you know when hurry is getting to you?
In The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer describes signs of what he calls “hurry sickness.” A few hit close to home for me:
- Little things get under your skin, especially when you’re with the people closest to you.
- You finally get a quiet moment and reach for your phone before you’ve even decided what to look at.
- Whatever feels urgent gets your attention, and time with God is one of the first things to go.
- You’re sitting at the table with your family, but your mind is already at tomorrow’s meeting.
Some of us are tired because the people we love need more care than we know how to give. A better calendar won’t make those needs disappear. So as we talk about rest, let’s ask two questions: Where can I make room to stop? And whose load could I help carry so they can stop for a while, too?
God gave His people a reason to stop
Before Leviticus 23 introduces Israel’s annual feasts, God sets apart the seventh day for rest and worship (Leviticus 23:1–3). In Exodus 20, He takes Israel back to creation: God finished His work and rested. In Deuteronomy 5, He takes them back to Egypt: they had been slaves, and the Lord had brought them out. Now even the servants and foreigners living among them were to share in that rest.
One detail gets me. God reminds Israel to keep the Sabbath right alongside the instructions for building the tabernacle (Exodus 31:12–17; 35:1–3). They were building the place where they would worship Him. Even that work could wait.
When the work is for the church, I can always find another call to make or another hour to spend on a sermon. But the people building the tabernacle had to trust that God could take care of His own work while they rested. I need to learn that, too.
And Jesus shows us what that rest can look like when somebody needs us. In Matthew 12:9–14, He heals a man with a withered hand and says it’s lawful to do good on the Sabbath. He didn’t make the man come back tomorrow. So feed the baby. Help your dad get dressed. And if you know someone who’s been giving that kind of care day after day, try offering something specific: “I can come over Saturday afternoon. Would two hours help?”
Jesus gives us a rest a day off never could
You can clear your calendar and still carry the weight of your guilt. You can sleep through the night and wake up wondering whether you’ve done enough for God to accept you.
Jesus invites the weary to come to Him for rest (Matthew 11:28–30). He died for our sins and rose again. You can bring Him the things you can’t undo, trust what He’s done for you, and have peace with God now. Hebrews 4 says that those who believe enter God’s rest, and that a rest still awaits His people. One day we’ll be with Him, and He’ll wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:3–5).
That’s the rest the Sabbath points us toward. Paul tells believers in Colossians 2:16–17 not to let anyone judge them over Sabbaths. You have freedom to choose when to set aside time to rest. And when you do, you can practice trusting the Savior who already welcomes you.
Put a time to stop on your calendar
My great-grandma cooked on Saturday so she wouldn’t have to cook on Sunday. What she wanted to make room for on Sunday changed what she did on Saturday.
What could you make room for this week? Pick a time to stop and put it on your calendar. If a whole day is out of reach, start with an hour. Decide what can wait, then use that time to pray, take a walk, or sit at the table long enough to hear what somebody you love is trying to tell you.
What you practice in that hour can help you on a Tuesday night, too. When your mind runs ahead to Wednesday, you can put down your phone, look your child in the eye, and listen.
When it’s time to stop, there’ll probably still be something left to do. Remember the people building the tabernacle. The work would be there when they came back. God would be there too.
Read or watch the full message: The Gift of Rest: How the Sabbath Points to Jesus · From the Pulpit
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