Do you rest, or do you just slow down?

Tom Harper May 13, 2024

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I'm really asking myself this question.

I don't even pretend to be a good rester. So, my short answer is … I slow down.

But wait, don't judge.

I may slow down, but I also do different things that to me are the opposite of work.

On Sunday, which is the day our family takes a Sabbath, I work out. I write. I'm active with hobbies. These things are "restful" for me.

I guess I define "rest" in my own way. To me, resting from work means not feeling the pressure to get things done, having to rush anywhere, or answering anyone.

"Peacefulness" is a good synonym for me. Resting from my regular routine simply means switching to my Sunday routine, which to you might still look busy.

But to me, it is such a low-key, peaceful day.

In fact, this kind of peacefulness is a goal I try to hit several times during the week. Right now, for instance, I'm in my happy place—a coffee shop.

I may be working on this devotion, but it doesn't seem like work. I'm in an unhurried state of mind, in peaceful surroundings, with a cup of hot brew.

I like to write from a state of peacefulness, and if I can't find it, I simply don't write. (Or if I do, it's not very heartfelt.)

So, there's my answer. How about you?

If you rest, how do you do it? Let's not get Scripturally narrow about what constitutes "work" on a Sabbath.

But is resting something you need to work on?

Peace,

Tom Harper
Founder, BiblicalLeadership.com
LinkedIn profile | Books

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Tom Harper is publisher of BiblicalLeadership.com and executive chairman of Networld Media Group, a business-to-business publisher and event producer. He has written five books, including Servant Leader Strong: Uniting Biblical Wisdom and High-Performance Leadership (DeepWater Books, 2019) as well as the Christian business fable Through Colored Glasses and its sequel Inner Threat (DeepWater, 2022). Learn More »

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