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When You Work for the Church

Too Busy to Rest?

Published by

April Yamasaki

June 18, 2024

How can I rest when I have so much to do? Between family and church, friends and neighbours, community and world concerns, I’m too busy to rest! Why rest when the needs are great, and the workers are so few? Why rest when I’ve been called to serve? Besides, I love my work!

Yet for a healthy rhythm of life, we need both work and rest.

In creation, God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:2-3), and paused for rest throughout the week (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 21, 25). God demonstrated rest for us and included rest as one of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11)—not as a burdensome rule, but as a gift. No longer slaves, the people were free to rest!

And so are we.

We are free to rest because God invites us to rest.
We are free to rest because rest is a gift from God.
We rest because Jesus modeled rest, and urged his disciples to rest.
We rest because rest is vital for health. We need rest for body, mind, soul, and spirit to flourish. Without rest, we become weary, stressed out, burned out.
We rest as an act of compassion for ourselves, and in compassion we extend rest to others.
Rest reminds us that we are human and limited. God is God. We are not.
Rest is an act of trust in God. Everything in life does not depend on us. God is sovereign. We are not.
In rest, we bear witness that life is not defined by production and consumption, by overwork and consumer goods.
In rest, we bear witness to the eternal rest that God promises us.

This excerpt is the introduction to my ebook, Sabbath Rest for the People of God. It’s designed as a quick, easy read with bite-sized chapters to explore Sabbath rest and offer practical suggestions—not as more “shoulds,” but as invitations.

Sabbath Rest for the People of God is a bonus ebook for subscribers. If you’d like a copy, but you’re not yet on my email list, please sign up and I’ll gladly send it to you. In the meantime, receive this invitation to rest.

Come to me,
all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you
Let me teach you,
because I am humble and gentle at heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For my yoke is easy to bear,
and the burden I give you is light.
—Matthew 11:28-30 (New Living Translation)

Tags: Bible, Rest, Sabbath Rest for the People of God

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2 responses to “Too Busy to Rest?”

schroedereh

June 18, 2024

It’s sometimes easier to rest my body than to rest my mind! When I’m busy doing something, my mind is occupied with that, but when I’m resting my body, my mind gets restless. Singing or reciting the old German prayers my mother taught me helps. Any other suggestions from you or your readers?

Reply
April Yamasaki

June 20, 2024

I can relate, Elfrieda. My ebook will include a number of suggestions for resting, so I hope that will be helpful to you. I love your idea of singing or reciting prayers. When my mind is too busy, I find that journaling helps. Somehow putting whatever is on my mind on paper helps me to let it go and helps me to rest.

Reply

I’m April Yamasaki

Welcome to When You Work for the Church. I’ve been a church volunteer and a full-time pastor. I’ve led small groups and served on denominational committees. When I resigned from pastoral ministry to focus on my writing, I knew that I wanted to be—needed to be—grounded in a local congregation. I love the church!

But I also know that churches and church organizations have not always lived up to their calling, have brought harm instead of healing. So I started this website to share resources for doing ministry better, and pray that together we might serve more faithfully and effectively.