Letting Go of Guilt from Rest - Denise Pass

Shame RX: Resting is not lazy.

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

It’s the Sabbath. You know, a day of rest. Well, some choose to rest on another day of the week, but Sunday after church is always such a sweet savoring of the people in my life and an opportunity to just be still.

The sun actually showed itself today, and so I chose to soak it in for a few minutes with no agenda. 

Peace filled my being as I just listened to the wind and felt the warmth of the sun’s rays, talking with my precious husband. 

I am a driver personality by nature. There. I said it. When I find a few minutes with no agenda, I delight in the possibilities of what I can get done. Some call it being an overachiever, but this girl loves to do ministry work in any moment I can.

But I also think we can become too focused on achieving things that we forget how to be still. Sure, I rise and have devotion time, but to be ok with not having a purpose, just “being”. This is something that is hard for this girl.

I think it stems from my step-dad chiding me if I sat down on the couch when I was a little girl. I felt judged and stressed if I even just sat down for a few minutes. 

Now this girl knows how to sit on a couch, lol. But I somehow can feel shame or guilt if my resting does not have a purpose. 

How about you? Do you feel guilty for resting? Our worth does not come from what we achieve or from being diligent every second of the day. Christ already established our worth and He then invites us to rest in Him. That is not lazy. It is abiding. 

There will always be work. And it is rest that helps us to be restored so we can work. So rest today, friends. Shame Off You as you get restored and ready for the next thing God calls you to.

___________________________________________

Need to get rid of shame in your life? Join the Shame Off You Bible Study Mondays at 7pm ET.