One Thursday night this month, it hit. Not full-force, but strong enough. It was a mild form of the stomach ailment that had been traveling through my family for quite some time. And so, there I was, parked on my sofa for virtually the entire next day. From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., I barely moved. Even my cat pitied me, as she climbed onto my pillow and rested in sympathy.
I didn’t just feel rotten; I felt frustrated because I was supposed to be at work. The weekend was coming up. I didn’t want to get behind in my work, and I didn’t want to spend the weekend on the sofa. But every time I rose, I became dizzy and uncomfortable. My body had stated its position: I was supposed to rest. I had no choice but to step out of my routine, despite my desires, and let the healing of sleep and hot tea take its course.
Isn’t that just like what God asks us to do on a regular basis? Sabbath is something we’re to observe regularly. It’s not physically uncomfortable, but it may still be a psychologically uncomfortable thing for us. It feels like wasted time to put down our to-do lists and rest. We know in our spirits that we must rejuvenate and spend time resting in the One who loves us best, but our minds tell us to push on to the next task and the next event. We just can’t be idle.
Time resting in the Lord is never idle. God gives us the wonders of nature, the beauty of family and friends, and the gifts of prayer and meditation as things to treasure. They restore and renew us. They draw us closer to our Creator, and they help us be fashioned into the likeness of Christ.
So, the next time something unexpected stops your journey on the fast track, take it as a gift from God. Sometimes, to get anywhere good in this life, you first have to stop.
