A Welcomed Interruption

If you're anywhere near north Georgia this morning you're probably seeing the same beautiful snowfall that I am. I took a walk through the perfect white sidewalks this morning to really take it all in. Snow is not common around here, so it was such a treat to see it once again. What a beautiful start to a slow morning it made.

I am not a fan of cold weather, I am just not built for it. However, this year, I have found myself enjoying it more for its designanted season. As I sit here and sip my coffee and look out the window, I can appreciate the freshness of it all.

Normally today would have been a busy one: waking up early, greeting students, teaching classes, and grading papers. I love these things, they are truly a passion of mine. However, the winter weather brought an unexpected amount of snow with it, putting everything on a halt for today. No work, no early morning, just silent rest. Coming off of a long winter break I did not think I would need to feel the rest so greatly. The snow day was a welcomed interruption. Busyness seems to be a sort of curse of mine, I feel the need to always be doing. This gets exhausting quick. I am grateful for today and that it has brought an almost forced rest with it.

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God knows we need rest, after all, He created us! In Genesis, we see Him model rest for us after creation, "So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished HIs work of creation, so He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when He rested from all His work of creation" (Genesis 2:1-3, NLT).

We were created to rest after our work, something that I have never been good at balancing. With the new year beginning, my husband and I sat down to write out individual and collaborative goals for our year. While there was a variety of answers, they all seemed to center around the idea of just being more intentional. We want to be more intentional with our time, our money, our spiritual life, and our rest. This was a reminder to me that as contradictory as it may sound, sometimes we need to "force" or schedule rest. Make it a non-negotiable, God did.

In Mark 2 we see Jesus speaking with the Pharisees on the requirements of the Sabbath, and His response to their criticizing is that "Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even over the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27-28). The Pharisees were so consumed in the rigidity of the law that they completely missed God's intentions for them. How often am I the same as these men? My need to feel productive or intentional often loses its focus and drains me of the rest I need. God knows what we need, and He provides it, it's often us who get in the way of it.

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Rest looks different for everyone. Usually, for me, rest includes writing just like this. I was running on fumes for so long that I could not even bring myself to open my laptop and take the time. This should have been my flashing red emergency light letting me know I was on empty, and we can't fill others if we are empty ourselves. How can you rest in God's provisions today, and I mean truly rest? Not scroll for hours until our brain is numb (guilty!) or waste the day away, but genuinely rest in His presence. If you need somewhere to start, read Psalm 23!

God, remind us that you designed us to rest. Help us to find balance and peace in your presence. Help guide us through our busy schedules and to-do lists, honoring you with them and not allowing them to become our idol. Give us your peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7).