I was speaking with my wife the other day and I am afraid she is right but don’t tell her that.

If there is anything I am great at then relaxing is the exact opposite. I am terrible at relaxing, taking my time, or going slow. Lionel Richie said he was easy like a Sunday morning well I am difficult to a Monday morning. I don’t know why I am this way. Maybe it is conditioning, maybe I wired this way, or maybe it is a combination of these factors. All I know is when I have things to do I need to do them. The problem is there is always something to do.

There is always a list that needs to be worked on. Always a chore that needs completing. Always an email that needs answering. Always a paper that needs writing. Always a thought that needs sharing. There is always an always. A little secret I learned was that the better you are at getting things done the more things there are that need to get done. People (including yourself) start to expect that level of production out of you. It becomes the norm and it also becomes exhausting. The worst part is even though I know I am running myself ragged I can’t seem to stop. I just keep pushing. To be honest it stinks. There are so many negatives to being so busy. There are health issues, fatigue, frustration, poor decision making, and so on. I know if I am going to fix it I need to work on it but how?

Well, I was thinking about Jesus and something He said. In Matthew 11:28-29 He said “”Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” It would seem to me then that if Jesus says I need to come to Him and rest then maybe I need to come to Him and rest. I know that sounds like a copout “Just rest in Jesus,” but it is true. I am not saying I know how to do it but I am going to try. I am going to try and just rest. How does that actually play out?

I think it is going to start with prayer. I think it is going to start with asking God to help me not be so busy, asking Him to give me strength, to give me peace, and to give me His yoke. Jesus goes on to say in verse 30 of that same chapter that His yoke is easy and His burden light. Well, my yoke is hard and my burden heavy so if I can trade I will. I would rather do His bidding than my own. I am not saying that today, tomorrow, or even next week I will have this down, but I am saying it is worth pursuing. Because to be honest I am tired. I am tired of doing so much and feeling like I have done nothing. So maybe I’ll take a minute and just chill.

Just a thought,

Mike