KC JONES | GUEST

For women, "moving" is never the problem. Whether we are moving forward, moving backward, or shuffling sideways in some sort of bizarre-crab walk, we are content to be in motion. Movement means things are happening; we are accomplishing much or at least appearing to do so. Movement also implies that by doing one thing, we are not doing something else. In many ways, it keeps us distracted from other things. Busyness can be a buffer against the pain of living in a broken world because it provides us with something else, anything else, on which to focus so that we don't have to face the challenges, heartaches, and brokenness we all experience deep in our hearts.  

Running on Empty 

Don't get me wrong: work is not the problem. Work was considered good before the Fall. After God created Adam, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden to work it and keep it" (Gen. 2:15). After He makes Man, God says, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make a helper fit for him" (2:18). Woman is declared "helper" or "Ezer"; a sufficient support for Man. It is the same term used to describe the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, or "Paraclete" in the Greek. God fashioned Woman to be hard-working, capable, and strong. Our problem isn't that we cannot "manage" all the to-do lists, work tasks, and extra-curriculars we cram into our schedules; it is that we often do not stand still. We don't stop working. Even when we feel inclined to sit at Jesus' feet as Mary did, we also feel the pull of a "Martha" mentality when faced with full days.  

Our constant busyness inevitably leaves us empty. We begin to struggle with disillusionment and doubt. We question what God is doing in our lives. We wonder why we work so hard if it does not make us any happier. We may feel overwhelmed about another schoolyear starting or another project deadline because we know there will just be another transition waiting for us at the end. It can feel like we are running on a proverbial hamster-wheel. Yet, we do have hope. It is an abundant hope, and it is ours for the taking.  

Stillness Before the Lord 

Many psalms depict a posture before God that may feel awkward for those of us who are always in motion—who always have a to-do list a mile long. It is a "standing still," reflective posture that starts with praise. The sons of Korah encapsulate this in Psalm 46 as they consider the majesty of the Lord. Their words come in as a command from God Himself, "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" (46:10). When confronted with the awesome character of the almighty God of the universe, there is nothing else to be done but praise. In Psalm 71, the writer proclaims, "But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of Your righteousness. Yours alone" (Psalm 71:14-16). These words reflect the innate desire we feel to hope, to praise, and to worship, but how do we do so unless we take the time to focus on the thing itself? If we were completely ignorant about who God is and who we are, how could we properly praise Him? The psalmist's words imply that he spent time focused on knowing the God who saved him. He knows God's righteous acts. He knows His deeds of salvation—how God has rescued His people time and time again.  

We too need to know the One whom we worship and to do so, we have to set aside other things to sit in His presence and learn from His Word. God's character is written throughout Scripture and not only invites but requires our adoration for the only One who is worthy of it all. This is where the "stillness" comes in—where we rest from the busyness of our day and focus our hearts on the Lord, seeking to know Him. David wrote deeply and often about this kind of rest. He craved it depended upon it. "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence for my hope is from him" (Psalm 62:5). We, like David, can understand the kind of rest David describes and take comfort in the knowledge that it is a rest provided for us as well. 

Created to Both Work and Rest

We were made in God's image. It is only natural that we praise Him, but that praise cannot be fully given if we are frantic with the day-to-day grind of life. We were made to work hard, yes, but we were not made to worship the work that we do. We were not made to be in constant motion. We were made to stop and rest from our labors as God did in the creation account. "Thus the heavens and earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done" (Gen. 2:1-2). God did not require rest for Himself, as though He has a body that tires; rather, He chose to do so in order that we might follow His example and find rest in Him. This rest is certainly physical, but it is also spiritual. It includes the resting of a heart that is fixed on Him regardless of circumstance. When our heart is turned toward Him, yielding to His will and His good purposes for us, we find peace and our hope is renewed. We then fix our eyes Him and worship Him for who He is and what He has done. This is the purpose for which we were created: to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.  

We all know what it's like to be always on the go. We feel pressured and spent. We feel poured out and used up. We feel as if we couldn't take one more step. We must make time to stop. We must remember that God calls us to something more. To not be busy for its own sake, but to understand how He made us and for what purpose. We are finite creatures with limits. We need to be still in His presence in order that we might worship the One who made us for therein lies our true rest. 

Photo by Marissa Grootes on Unsplash