Working from Your Rest
Working from Your Rest
When I lived in Richmond, I had the opportunity to participate in a leadership program called Uptick. This year-long program was for young ministers and non-profit leaders, and over the course of the year we worked through different topics relevant to our places of service with the end goal being that we were better equipped to do the work we’ve been called to.
The one thing I go back to more than anything else from this experience came from the talk about self-care and the work/rest balance. This quote was shared by our leader, John Chandler: “If you think about it, more often than not we are resting from our work. But instead, we should be working from our rest.”
Read that statement again: “We are often resting from our work, when we should be working from our rest.”
Now, this may not seem like a big shift in perspective to you, but if you take time to really think about it, I think you will find that it is indeed a change. For those of us who have busy weekly schedules, the weekends are a chance for us to take a break and recharge for the next week.
But what if instead of thinking as those periods of rest as being the end of our week, we think of them as being the beginning of our week. We make that time of rest a priority and use it to set the tone for the upcoming tasks.
Jesus did this so often in his ministry. He would take time away and refuel. And then he would return to his ministry among people, and be ready to be fully present to the needs that were waiting for him.
“Come to me, all who are weary, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28
This week, as you find yourself feeling weary, I encourage you to rest. And once you have rested, return to your work, knowing that you have been equipped for what you have to face. And because you have taken time to fully rest, you will be even more prepared for the work you are called to do.
Kristen Koger is the Pastor for Children and Families at First Baptist Church of Decatur.