Why Rest is Overrated (and Underrated)
Instagram has revitalized the adventure mindset (#optoutside) but what have we lost in the process?
I spent the last week in Central Oregon, on vacation with a good chunk of my extended family. It was a much-needed break, my first of 2021. Extended and uninterrupted time to bike with my kids, to play in the pool, several rounds of golf, sleeping in—I could almost hear my soul audibly shout "hallelujah!"
But there was the inevitable reality that showed up immediately after I got home: there's work to do. And I don't think this is a bad thing. In fact, despite largely hating school even through my college years, I have gotten to the point where I embrace work as good.
One of the craziest things Covid has brought about is people quitting their jobs. Yes, seriously, millions of people are quitting their jobs. In fact, in April 4 million people in the United States quit their job. It seems that over the past year many have gotten a taste of life without work, or at least work done differently, and decided to make a drastic change to their daily lifestyle.
While credit belongs to many places, Instagram's picture-centric platform has caused many to build an identity around where they go and what they do, making work at best a necessary evil, and at worst an unnecessary impedance. Many who #optoutside, forsaking work in the process, are simply chasing the wanderlust of the unknown.
Part of God's creation order was for Adam to work:
God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:15
Does this mean you must have a job? Of course not. Work is something far bigger than holding down a job. But work is absolutely necessary and part of how God designed us. Here's Tim Keller building on what Genesis 2 says about work:
“According to the Bible, we don’t merely need the money from work to survive; we need the work itself to survive and live fully human lives.”
To put it simply: rest is overrated because we're called to work.
But, of course, work is not all we are called to. We see God, despite being all-powerful, abstaining from work on the seventh day of His creation. When we misplace work in our lives it becomes an idol, but when we properly place work in our lives we always find time to rest.
Many have a tendency to either emphasize work too much or too little. Within the first few hours of my vacation I could sense my soul telling me, "you've needed this." Why? I have a tendency to emphasize work too much. For me, rest is underrated.
But others have a tendency to emphasize work too little. For them, rest is overrated.
When we idolize wanderlust and the chasing after beautiful places, it can become impossible for us to embrace the hard work needed for fruitful and godly influence.
When we idolize work, we often reap the reward of worry, anxiety, and a ruthless tenacity incompatible with grace.
Rest is overrated and underrated because we're called to work, but the ultimate work has already been accomplished in Christ, and we can rest in Him.
Contending,
Tyler
(pictures from our trip below)
