Take the Time

I don’t know about you, but with COVID-19 dominating our thoughts and dictating our schedules, it’s easy to get fatigued mentally and, in a weird way, physically. Yet, as I was feeling the exhaustion, I noticed that I don’t have much work as I did before COVID-19. For many of us, our workload has actually decreased over the last few weeks. I’m fortunate enough to be able to do most of my work from home, but even still, things have slowed down drastically, and I find I work much faster at home in my cave then I do at the office (maybe there’s a lesson in there for the future!). 

With the decrease in my work load, there’s a dark place that I go in my mind that constantly says, “You’re lazy. You’re not doing enough. You should be working harder in the midst of a pandemic, not slowing down.” But despite my efforts to do more, I still find myself with more time on my hands than usual. 

And I shouldn’t have to feel guilty about this. But unfortunately, it’s our culture. We are a driven society. We thrive on a fast pace, long weeks, and overcrowded work days. We gotta keep the business going, the family, growing, and the bank account flowing. We are a culture consumed with hurry. We are a society that has fully embraced the motto once spoken by Ricky Bobby, “If you ain’t first, you’re last.” 

So how do we combat it? How do I combat that feeling of uselessness and laziness in a time when work is slowed down (for many of us) and I find more time on my hands? My suggestion to you would be: take advantage of the time to rest. 

There’s always a silver lining in everything. My church is praying hard for the health and wellness of everyone in our country and for the disease to be eliminated. We hate that this is happening. We hate the pain and separation it is causing. But for those of us who haven’t been directly affected yet, could this be an opportunity we may never get back? What if, while we isolate ourselves in the home, we took advantage of our time to rest? 

Paul the apostle wrote a letter to a church in the ancient city of Ephesus and here’s what he said: 

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. (Eph 5:15-16 NLT) 

It seems that there is a sense in which we grab time by the horns and make it bend to our needs. And in this time of exhaustion and isolation, use the time to rest. Rest so that you can refuel, recharge, refocus… And when all this ends, you can relaunch energized and ready to make a difference in the world. 

Need some help with ideas on how to rest? Here are some great starting points:

• Go outside and take a walk. 
• Download an audio book and go for a drive with the family. 
• Cook and eat dinner together
• Play games with your kids. 
• Order pizza one night and have a family movie night. 
• Put down the phone. 
• Shut the computer. 
• Start a new hobby. 
• Choose one day this week… And don’t work. 
• Exercise.
• Read a book. 
• Call a friend who lives far away. 
• Take a nap. 
• Only allow your self to watch or read the news once a day.
• Read your Bible.
• Sit in silence and pray.