Years ago, I started my own business in web hosting, when that was a newish industry. I was studying in university at the same time, and had always been able to do both, until a server crashed during midterms. I didn’t let either midterms or my clients drop, I simply gave up sleep. It finally caught up with me, and I had to get out of my room and went for a late night walk. I eventually stumbled into a church, exhausted and scared that my business might not recover. I remember the minister listening, then suggesting, “get some rest…then consider, maybe God is trying to tell you something.”

I returned ready to solve my problems. I moved all the customers I could to one server. I ordered new server, then there was nothing I could do but wait. I could only rest.

I felt completely different when I woke up. I could study, I could write papers, I could think, I could fix the problems that caused the crash.

Rest is important!

An estimated 3.3 million Canadians age 15 or older have problems getting enough sleep, which may be affecting their health and quality of life.

A magazine of internal medicine summarized their research. The bottom line is: “sleep serves as an indicator of health and quality of life”
Lack of rest leads to more tension, depression, fatigue and marital strain, at least for women, according to one study of 1,500 women in rural Wisconsin.

And one medical publication found Middle-aged men who were at high risk of heart disease 50% less likely to die of a heart attack over nine years if they took frequent vacations.

We need rest, and we’re not just going to look at physiological reasons, but theological. That our need for rest comes from God himself.

Question: When was your longest stretch of sustained work with no day off? How did it impact you?

Ryan Sim - September 9, 2015

Wednesday - Change It - Structured Rest

So far this week, we’ve looked at rhythms for rest, but what should one actually do with that time? One author, Tim Keller, has suggested two main categories of rest. 1) Doing nothing at all. Kick your feet up. 2) Do something different from your usual work. If you work in a bank, volunteering to help launch our church is a form of rest. But if you work in a church, then it isn't rest...but doing the books for your favourite charity could be. If you’re a fisherman, then fishing isn’t rest. But if you’re a videographer, it is. If you’re a landscaper, then cutting the grass at home isn’t rest. But for many people, it’s therapeutic! Not sure what that might look like? It could be contemplative – spend some time praying, reading something spiritually focused, watching a sunrise. It could be recreational - playing soccer, rock climbing, hitting the beach, learning a new skill, reading something just for fun. It could be aesthetic - going to an art gallery, climbing the CN tower to look over the city, watching an outdoor movie like we're hosting this September. Rest is going to vary depending on your work and your personality. For me - rest is reading, or outdoors. Hiking, rock climbing, camping, all use muscles, parts of my brain and energies that writing these challenges and standing here in front of a camera talking to you does not! Question: List your favourite way to find rest in each of these categories: Doing Nothing: Contemplative: Recreational: Aesthetic: Then put down when you'll plan to do that next. We meet for coffee this Wednesday night at Starbucks in the Chapters Store in Ajax, in Durham Region just East of Toronto. Maybe we'll see you there?

From Series: "Work and Rest"

Just in time for summer's blend of work and rest, Redeem the Commute is starting a new series of daily challenges to help busy people restore life to the commuting lifestyle. This seven week series will look at the meaning and purpose of work, rest, and ancient practices that have helped followers of Jesus to keep the two in perspective and balance for centuries.

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