Fighting Sloth With Rest

It might seem natural to assume that the best way to fight sloth is to work more and harder, avoiding all laziness by constantly being productive. Perhaps, however, we should simply learn to rest better. It took me a long time to learn to rest well. One of the misconceptions I had to overcome is the idea that resting is the same as being lazy. In other words, I thought that ceasing to produce equals being slothful. However, it is God’s design that we rest, and that we rest in ways that honor him.

The practice of Sabbath, instituted at creation, is the first very clear sign that we are intended to rest; if God rested, then we should too. If we look at Jesus’ earthly ministry, we see that he too rested. Interestingly, rest is one of the descriptions given for responding to Christ in faith: Jesus says “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Mt. 11:29) and the author of Hebrews says “there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his” (Heb. 4:10-11).

When and where and how do you rest? Resting is not the same thing as being lazy. To be lazy is to neglect what God has given us to steward. To rest is accept that we are not God, and thus not in control of everything. Learning to rest well is one of the ways that we learn to be active in ways that are physically, spiritually, and relationally healthy.