Scripture: Hebrews 4:1-10

A Loose Grip

“…for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.” (Hebrews 4:10)

Lately I have been very busy, and I can’t exactly remember when “lately” began. I could list out everything that I have done in the last five years, and give you a run-down of what my life looks like at the moment, but for some people this may prove to be a distraction: “Busy! You call that busy?” some of you may say. And yet others may say, “Look at all she’s doing! She’s justified in feeling so busy! Why am I feeling so busy and drained? I don’t do half of that!”
That’s exactly why I won’t make a list. Let’s not compare.
In the last weeks, I have been aware that a weariness has crept over me that has been fueled by only focusing on trying to crush my massive to-do list. I certainly get a feeling of relief when I scratch off a task, but it is not long before another item appears. This process will not actually end. As long as I focus on trying to keep ahead of the game by keeping a tight grip on my work, I will never actually find rest. Sure, I go to bed at night, but as my head hits the pillow, I’ll already be looking forward to going to bed again tomorrow night. And I’ll be having dreams about being at work. That’s not rest.
Ultimately, I need to let go of my work. That doesn’t mean I stop working: it means I re-evaluate my grip on my work. If I do not take time to set my work aside and to meditate, to spend time with God and to listen to what God has to say, I will be forever weary.

The Scottish percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie spoke in 2003 on the importance of listening, and in this talk, she illustrated the importance of being aware of how we are doing what we are doing by giving an analogy:
“By holding it (the drumstick) tightly, I feel strangely more detached. If I just simply let go and allow my hand, my arm, to be more of a support system, suddenly I have more dynamic with less effort. Much more. And I just feel, at last, one with the stick and one with the drum. And I'm doing far, far less.”

This Lenten season, I am going to loosen my grip, and make sure to insert some rests in my life’s composition.