A Gift, Not A Burden

The days are getting longer. The heat is wracking up the thermometer. My kids are officially done with school.

In short, there’s no more denying it.

Summer is here. In fact, this will be my last post before I take my annual summer hiatus from this blog, seeking to spend more time with my family.

And I. Am. Struggling.

Summer has a different rhythm, doesn’t it? In my house, at least, there’s a more relaxed type of atmosphere. Schedules get thrown to the wayside, chores get neglected, busy-ness takes a back. It’s a season focused on rest. Resetting. Rejuvenation.

Three things I am just not very good at.

I am a very routine-oriented person. I like knowing what I will be doing each day at approximately the same time. I thrive on structure and productivity, and I like to use my time wisely, finding little ways to get ahead of my to-do list as much as I can. All things that absolutely go out the window during the summer months. It’s hard to be in “work mode” when you never get a break from “mom mode.” It’s nearly impossible to stay productive and ahead of the game when there are never-ending needs constantly popping up all around you. And just try to find a sustainable groove when sports, trips, playdates, camps, and classes make your house a revolving door.

In short, summer is not a season of relaxation for me. It’s a season of interruption.

Anyone else?

Or, at least, that’s how it used to be.

I’ve never been ashamed of being a driven person, nor do I think I should be. I wouldn’t be where I am today without being the person I believe God made me to be. But God has been slowly revealing to me that even the gifts He’s given to me–the gifts of being naturally hard-working and motivated–can veer into dangerous territory if I’m not careful. It can even become full-blown sin if I refuse to accept other gifts God tries to give me.

Gifts such as rest.

Being ambitious, dedicated, and routine-craving isn’t a bad thing. But if, like me, you find yourself physically or mentally incapable of resting when the time comes, take a deeper look into the motivating factor behind these things. Often, things like pride, ego, and a need for control can manifest itself in our busy-ness obsessed lifestyle. That’s because rest isn’t just a self-care issue.

It’s a faith issue.

Scripture tells us one rand over again that rest is a gift given to us by God for our good. All the way back in Genesis, we see God Himself resting from His work (Genesis 2). Keep in mind, God didn’t need the rest; He doesn’t grow weary. He was doing it to set an example for His children, to offer them a time of rejuvenation He understood we would need after all our hard work. This is exactly why He gave us the command about the Sabbath in Exodus 20. Again, God doesn’t need the Sabbath; we do.

And, if God is so gracious in providing us with these opportunities and seasons He knows we need, why am I so quick to reject or grumble about them?

It’s because of my own pride. My own striving. My own need to prove myself.

My own need to, in a sense, tell God that I know better than Him.

Yikes.

So, yes, while I go through the usual struggle every year around this time, God has slowly been opening my eyes to the sin and lies behind my resistance. He’s been showing the truth that rest is an act of obedience, a redirecting of my worship to Him rather than myself. Accepting a season of rest is a gesture of faith, of love, and of self-sacrifice. It is a humble acknowledgement that we are not God.

Instead, He is.

And He is a good, good One who extravagantly bestows upon us those things we don’t even realize we need.

So whether your summer is busy or slow, full or empty, take a deep breath and repeat after me:

Rest is gift, not a burden.

Given by the ultimate Gift-Giver.