Chill Out

I’m an achiever. I don’t say that to brag; it’s a bit of a problem. I tend to measure my value by how much I get done. My to-do list is unending. I sometimes feel guilty when I have an evening off with nothing to do.

It sounds strange, but it’s true. I have a hard time resting.

I’m not alone. I notice the faces of people I pass on the street. Many of them look perpetually stressed. I hear the horn when someone hesitates a second too long at the stoplight. And when I talk to people about the biblical principle of Sabbath, I see the way people react. Stop working for a day? Rest? Who’s got time for that?

The stranger the idea of Sabbath sounds, the more we need it.

We are not what we do. God has given us important work to do in our various roles, but he doesn’t need us. Sleep is a daily reminder that the world goes on very well without us. The work will always be there; we must learn to pause and rest.

So, every day, I lay my head on the pillow and leave my to-do list behind. Once a week, I cease working, and devote a day to restoring my soul by engaging in activities that bring me refreshment in every area of my life.

Jared Wilson said it best a long time ago now: “The gospel frees you to chill the heck out.”

Learn to rest well. It could be one of the most beneficial skills you learn.