Rest or Laziness?

Leadership Leave a comment

Currently my apartment is a mess. There is no poetic way to paint this picture. It is simply, a mess. Suitcases partially unpacked, unmade bed, old mail, groceries on the counter. But, hey, summer has been crazy with two big trips, recovery time, and the usual weekly expectations as well. Not to mention trying to figure out finances for all that is coming my way this fall. There is a whirlwind of happening and a girl has got to rest, so we can excuse the mess, right?

We are commanded to rest. Sabbath. Set aside time to be still.

Sometimes, that means excusing the mess. But not always. And not in my current case. I have not been resting. I have been lazy.

So, what is the difference?

I believe there are two main differences. Intentionality and outcome. Let’s break it down a bit…

Intentionality

  • Rest requires planning. Laziness just happens.
  • Rest means investing in your life. Laziness means wasting your life.
  • Rest minimizes distraction. Laziness is distraction.
  • Rest hides in relationship. Laziness hides from relationship.

Outcome

  • Rest prepares you for action. Laziness dissuades you from action.
  • Rest creates room for you to be filled with life. Laziness fills your life so there is no room.
  • Rest removes the weight from your shoulders. Laziness adds the weight of guilt.
  • Rest sends you out. Laziness sucks you in.

I have rested a bit this summer, but in all honesty, mostly, I have been lazy. The housework has piled up, as has the guilt. The mess is driving me crazy, and yet, just as sugar begets sugar cravings, laziness begets Netflix marathon cravings. And like any bad habit, it takes hard work to replace it with good habits. However, true rest is worth the effort.

Still not sure what the difference is between rest and laziness? Well, I asked my internet friends for tangible examples from their own lives. Here are some of their responses:

Rest is meeting my friends for coffee. Laziness is spending hours liking and commenting on social media.

Rest is getting up early to knock out a few hours of writing. Laziness is sleeping in until noon and waking up still feeling exhausted.

Rest is sitting on the porch, drinking a glass of wine, chatting with friends. Laziness is always choosing that over the dishes in the sink.

Rest is watching a movie with my child. Laziness is watching Sports Center instead of taking care of life.

Rest is creating something. Laziness is playing games on my phone.

Rest is giving myself a pass one day on making my bed. Laziness is giving myself a pass everyday.

Rest is going for a walk. Laziness is not leaving the house.

Rest is a Chick-fil-a run so I can spend time doing something I love. Laziness is a Chick-fil-a run so I don’t have to think about what to cook. 

Rest is lying on the beach with a good book. Laziness is lying on the couch and playing games on my phone all day.

Rest is watching Gilmore Girls during the kids’ nap time. Laziness is watching tv all day. 

Rest is turning off my phone so I can hear from the Lord. Laziness is turning off my phone so I can avoid someone. 

Rest is spending time reading God’s Word on my own. Laziness is skipping church because I don’t like the sermons. 

Rest is deep, intentional conversation over coffee. Laziness is staying superficial with new friends.

So there you have it. Real life examples of rest verses laziness. What about you? What activities are restful for you and when do you know you have crossed into laziness? 

Letters to The Family: Kristin

Letters to The Family Leave a comment

I thought you needed to meet more Aggies, so today, I’ve asked my friend, Kristin to share a letter.  While Kerry and I met as campers, Kristin and I met through Impact when we were both on staff. Then, along with our friend, Cara, we moved into a cute little house on Magnolia. It was a fun year. How could it not have been with a roommate as sweet as Kristin? I know you will find her words life-giving. They are precious words from a precious woman. 

KristinIn her own words: Hi, I’m Kristin! I am a Texas girl currently residing in Nashville, TN with my chocolate lab Layla. I come from a large, loud and crazy family that I absolutely adore. I am learning to embrace the adventure that is life and be content with the season God has me in, whatever it may bring. I have found so much freedom through embracing the grace of God in my life and recently started a blog to reflect on that (Absent Father, Present God). It is my hope to encourage others by sharing the truths about God that I am currently learning and have learned in the past. 

Dear Church,

I am here to tell you one simple thing: It’s okay not to be okay.

We so often get caught in the trap of believing we have to meet certain expectations just to be good enough for God. Many of us are under the impression that since we follow Jesus, everything in our lives should be without trouble, or we at least better make it look that way on the outside. We fear that if we show our faults, our struggles or our pain that we are somehow failing as a Christian. We make a checklist of items we believe make us worthy of His love and we present it to Him as if it is our ticket in to His divine presence.

Have we forgotten God’s grace? Have we forgotten the cross of Christ?

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7

“And He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.’”                            2 Corinthians 12:9

Do you struggle with anxiety? Grace abounds.

Do you feel like you have failed as a parent? Grace abounds.

Are you held captive by addiction? Grace abounds.

Are you paralyzed by fear? Grace abounds.

Do you doubt God? Grace abounds.

Do you have lustful thoughts? Grace abounds.

Do you have a need for control over your life? Grace abounds.

Whatever trial, struggle, pain you feel bound by right now: Grace abounds.

Let’s face it: life is messy. And we are flawed people living in an imperfect world. It’s inevitable that we will fall short. And that is okay. Following Christ does not mean we will have it easy. We will still face difficulty and pain and we will still struggle with sin. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

We do not have to be perfect. If we did, we wouldn’t need a savior. Our salvation does not give us a worry-free, sin-free life, but it does give us hope for peace in the midst of trials, grace that covers our sin and power for our weaknesses. Christ came that we may have abundant life, dare I say in spite of our mess. Cease striving and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). Stop striving for perfection. Stop striving to cover up your mess. Let God do what only God can do. Allow Him to cover you in His grace.

It’s okay not to be okay.

Love,

K