Jesus Rested…Why Can’t We?
As an entrepreneur, you know all about working hard. If you’re anything like me, hard work is your M.O., your superpower and you’ve probably been praised for it more than once in a performance review.
Certainly, the world’s definition of hustle is all about working hard, and that’s been ingrained in us as entrepreneurs, right?
But you’re tired. Worn-out and both your body and mind need a break. What you need is rest, yet you’re probably overlooking that to push through and rely on your own strength.
The truth is, we high-achieving, ambitious women aren’t great at resting. Maybe it’s because we’re afraid we’ll miss out on something big. Maybe it’s because we’ve believed the lie that “if it is to be, it’s up to me,” and therefore, resting is not an option. Or maybe we believe the lies of the enemy that our rest is lazy, isn’t working with excellence or doesn’t honor God because it means we’re not working. So we’re definitely not rested.
You won’t find rest in any standard definition of hustle.
You know where you will find it, though? The Bible.
See, God’s instruction for walking out His assignment includes rest because He knows we need it. He modeled it for us in His own work of creating (Genesis 2:2-3) and He commanded it (Exodus 20:8-10).
In Psalm 127:1-2, His Truth says:
Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep [or rest].
It may seem counter-cultural and counter-intuitive to think of (much less plan for) rest in your business. But here’s another truth from the best model for Kingdom work that we could ever have:
JESUS RESTED.
You can find proof of this truth in every one of the Gospels:
Matthew 14:13
Mark 6:31
Luke 5:16
John 4:6
If we were created to reflect Christ to a broken world, and God’s ultimate plan for us it to be more like Him every day, why do we struggle with resting?
I think it’s because we’ve been conditioned by the enemy’s lies that we must always be moving, driving and striving for more. And that rest is lazy or wasteful or it only means lying on the couch binging Netflix.
If Jesus in His perfection needed rest, so do we.
What if rest is really about being still, pressing pause on your mind, and letting God have His way in the moment?
What if God’s true healing and transformation happens in your rest?
How are you allowing rest in your business strategy?
Are you overlooking it to push through and rely on your own strength?
Maybe it’s time you evaluated that and asked God to show you where you need rest. Food for thought as we say goodbye to this first month of 2023 and the world beckons us to move faster because we’re already behind. Don’t believe those lies! Lean into the Lord, rest with Him and you’ll be energized to keep going in your assignment.
Friend, I’m here to help you break those chains because doing the work God has given us for Kingdom impact requires focus and clarity, and that isn’t possible without renewing our minds and being still in the Lord!
And that means REST!
For more on this topic and my conversation with guest Corinne Coppola, tune into Redefining Hustle, Episode 186 on Apple Podcasts or Spotify
Join me for REST at my upcoming retreat in Annapolis: https://erinharrigan.com/WITHRetreat
PS I can help you stay accountable to including rest in your strategy, and to actually implementing it as part of your business plan! Schedule your discovery call today to explore coaching with me.
