Working from Rest
my life lately has been a whirlwind.
one day i’m directing a music video, the next driving to orlando to hang with the fam,
and the next i’m coordinating filmmakers and photographers to capture Kanye’s Sunday Service,
which will stand as one of the most memorable nights of my life.
but i guess that goes with the territory.
i’ve always had a full plate and a schedule that’s “go, go, go.”
i don’t really know what to do with “free time” because i’ve hardly ever had it.
so the things i’m forcing myself to do this year is rest, relax and recharge.
often, i feel like i’m not resting enough or at least, i don’t give myself permission to rest.
and before this year is over, i’m promising myself a few days of dedicated rest and reflection time.
i think back to college years where i seemed to wake up before my roommate to go to class, gym, extracurriculars and find my way back to my room after my roommate was long asleep.
rinse and repeat.
it was madness.
but summer always came. and there was time to go home and relax…until i needed a summer job.
as the years keep coming, rest seems more needed and seldom available.
one summer i remember working at a YMCA summer camp and instantly all the free time was sucked out of summer.
8–5 every day. screaming children. hot hot hottttt weather.
but still, i remember not ever going home right after work.
for some reason, all me and my friends wanted to do every night was hang out.
whether at the gym together or over each other’s houses cooking, eating, playing video games.
(side note: this is the summer i became obsessed with the Wii game “Just Dance”. also the summer i dated a dancer and played that game til i was good enough to beat her at it…i’m actually very very good)
(useless information? i think not)
the point is, i noticed my mantra became:
work hard, play hard
and it stuck with me.
i currently have my dream job.
i get to work with the most amazing people.
tell beautiful stories. and capture the most insane events.
it’s truly a dream come true.
but still, no matter how fulfilling my job is or how proud of my work i am,
i still need, must, really should find time to rest.
we all do.
there’s no way you can do it all.
you can try, but you’ll fail.
you weren’t meant to do it all.
if rest is important enough to God, then it should be important enough to us.
God rested on the seventh day not because He was tired, but because He was finished.
why am i not resting? because i’m not finished…
news flash…there will always be more work.
another project. more to do. more to learn.
when will we ever be finished?
truth is, you already are.
when God created you, He called you “very good”
when He saved you on the cross, His completed work was finalized in the phrase “it is finished”
you are made new in His sight.
we need to look no further than our perfect God to find completion in Him.
and yet, on the other hand, our work is just beginning.
it’s the balance of already-not yet.
the finished work of salvation, yet the work of sanctification.
the continued calling and work of the disciple.
do i have it all figured out? no way.
but i do know that in order for me to be effective, i need to rest.
we’re in the second month of 2020 and i’ve already been sick two times.
i must not be resting well.
it’s a struggle, but i’m determined to find the rhythm of the chaos.
i don’t believe there’s balance.
i used to.
but now i let the chaos run wild, because it takes me to places i never thought i’d be able to go.
now it’s about finding the pace for grace God has enabled me for.
i’m running as fast as i can towards the goal,
but now i run with purpose,
and i don’t shy away from stopping to smell the roses and feel the warm embrace of the sun.
today is a new day.
a new chance to give God glory and allow Him to write your story.
what will you do? run yourself down until you can’t run anymore?
or devote time to God and allow Him to give you the strength you need to face every new challenge that awaits you.
your choice.
-gb
