“Busy, but a good busy.”
Have you ever said that when someone asked you how you are? I have, and I can’t count how many times others have said the same thing to me.
We tend to derive a sense of worth from being busy. The more we have on our calendar, the more we are needed, the more important we can feel.
Not that there’s anything wrong with being busy, but there’s busy and then there’s too busy. Too busy is when our busyness harms our health or relationships. Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is stop, rest, and refuel. If we’re constantly busy without any chance to reset it impedes growth relationally, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Sabbath, a Hebrew word meaning to stop or cease from work, was a Jewish Biblical imperative God gave His people after rescuing them from slavery. Under the oppression of the Egyptian slave drivers, rest was not normative for the Hebrews. God gave them a new way of living by adding the rhythm of sabbath to their lives. He did this because He knew they needed it.
The idea of including a regular rhythm of rest might seem quaint, a novel idea for the weak, but really, it’s something necessary for everyone. Some benefits include strengthened relationships, sharpened mental acuity, a chance to reflect and grow in multiple ways, a greater sense of gratitude and contentment, a reminder that the degree to which we are busy is not directly correlated to our worth and a greater connection with our Creator.
Engaging in restorative activities such as reading, meditating, spending time in nature, reading Scripture, or enjoying leisurely meals with loved ones can significantly boost physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. It’s worth the effort.
