Journal Entry ~ 07/11/19

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.  - Psalm 127:1

We live in a culture that values a busy schedule, so it’s easy to fall into the trap that busyness equates to value. When our schedules are full, we have purpose. Somewhere along the line busyness became a status symbol. It’s not just a badge of honor, it’s a way of life. If you’re busy, you’re important. You’re leading a full and worthy life. Your ability to multi-task is directly related to how competent, smart, and successful people think you are. For many, busyness has become a competition. 

As a country, we’re working longer hours and taking less time off. Your value as an employer is determined by how long your car is in the parking lot. Many of us even bring work home with us at night, and hop on the computer to do work on the weekends. Trying to improve corporate culture, many employers have started touting the importance of a work-life balance, but it hasn’t seemed to impact the expectations or workload yet. 

This phenomenon isn’t only saved for the workforce - you need only follow a stay-at-home mom around for a couple of days to understand what true busyness looks like. Running their kids from school to baseball practice, a quick dinner then off to the dance recital leaves no down time before they fall into bed exhausted. But wait, there’s still homework to do. The education world has literally had to come up with an annual Global School Play Day because kids no longer have down time to play these days. 

At the same time our busyness is on the rise, so is anxiety and depression. Many of us are overworked and overwhelmed by all life demands of us. We’re exhausted as a people. But the problem is we’re not allowed to rest because our culture views that as lazy and unproductive. 

What’s most interesting is the latest neuroscience research shows is that our brains our most creative and most open to inspiration when they are idle. Our brains grow the most when they’re idle, but we still resist taking time off. 

God knows our brains. After all, He designed them, so He knows their need to rest - that’s why He literally put it in the creation plan. He commanded us to rest. He told us to keep at least on day a week to rest in Him, and we still don’t do it. 

These words are resonating with me this morning:

It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.  - Psalm 127:2

They seem to speak directly to our culture of anxious, busy people. He gives to his beloved sleep. Rest in Him. Lay down what the world wants of you, and pick up what He’s trying to tell you. Rest in Him. 


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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