Finding Harmony Between Rest and Work

This is the introduction of a six-part series on rest and work.

Human beings need a rhythm of work and rest in order to live up to their God-given potential. Just as God gives people important work to do, God also asks people to rest periodically from their labor.

Work gives each individual the opportunity to partner with God in His goals for creation, while rest lets that person enter into communion with God in enjoyment of creation.

Ideally, all people would work and rest in comfortable alternation, leaving humanity physically healthy, mentally stimulated, and spiritually fulfilled.

Alas, for many people this happens rarely. Many neglect to rest or do not have the opportunity to rest, given the patterns of their lives.

With the dizzying advance of technology, people can work anywhere and anytime.

In 2014, The Economist reported that 60 percent of people who use smartphones are connected to their offices for 13.5 or more hours a day. That was 10 years ago. Now, according to Pew Research, 97 percent of Americans own a cellphone of some kind and nine-in-10 of those own a smartphone.

Many people have ceased to attempt to balance work with rest. Others find all their time consumed by the need to earn a paycheck, care for children or aging parents (or both), and fulfill others’ needs and expectations of them. Over-worked, they find it increasingly difficult to experience the kind of life-restoring, humanizing rest that they need.

Conversely, some people are under-worked, either for lack of full-time employment or from feeling disengaged from their jobs. Some lack the motivation to work or have not developed habits needed for work.

Structural changes in the labor market over the past half-century have decreased work opportunities for those without access to higher education. And even those who work full time may suffer from a lack of productive engagement.

If a worker feels that his or her work isn’t valued, measured, or appreciated, that worker will struggle to exhibit ownership over the task at hand. If he or she is not prepared to work productively, successful results are unlikely. The outcome will be a life-depleting lack of motivation.

When people lack rest they suffer physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Physical and mental exhaustion can often lead to emotional volatility, as a poorly rested individual becomes easily irritated and/or anxious.

This lack of rest can escalate into larger issues. Relationships become strained. Over time a person’s spiritual life — a connection to God and the deepest meaning and joy in life — becomes diminished, too.

Research bears out the cascading consequences of a rest deficiency.

First, lack of rest can compromise health and the quality of work. Heavy workloads and long hours are a significant source of stress in the work place.

According to a 2023 American Psychological Association survey, 77 percent of workers experienced work-related stress, with 57 percent having experienced the negative impacts that followed including emotional exhaustion, low motivation and productivity, anger, and feelings of being ineffective.

The APA also claimed that “chronic stress can affect both our physical and psychological well-being by causing a variety of problems, including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system.” This kind of stress can also increase chances of heart disease, diabetes, and depression.

Furthermore, exhaustion depletes a person’s skill at managing interpersonal relationships. Studies show that when someone is tired, he or she misreads other people’s social signals. A tired person will project negative motives onto other people and find it hard to resist lashing out in response.

Finally, there are spiritual implications to lack of rest. God created both work and rest, and carelessness in these areas can estrange people from Him.

Both those who are over-worked and those who are under-worked may find it hard to connect with God in a rhythm of work and rest.

Yet by God’s grace it is still possible to integrate rest and work into the pattern of life that God intends. This study will explore the reasons why and how to do so.

From the opening pages of the Bible, both work and rest are surprisingly significant topics. In the first chapter of Genesis, God creates everything, yet despite His infinite power and perfection God takes time to rest.

This topical study will trace the theme of rest in Scripture through four main topics: 1) why people need to rest, 2) why people can’t rest, 3) how rest is restored, and 4) and how people can rest in faith.

This article appeared originally on Theology of Work.