“Don’t just do something. Stand there.”
It’s a quote from a sermon my husband heard many years ago. I believe it offers a clever twist on a well-known saying.
Do you often feel like you need to be doing something?
Do you ever feel like you’re burdened with extra guilt for not meeting your own expectations?
Do you often find yourself thinking, “I should be” or “I need to”?
Do you ever feel guilty about relaxing and spending an afternoon reading a book or binge-watching a Netflix series?
Do you feel like you have to earn your rest? Rest isn’t a reward, it’s a necessity. Read that again.
There’s something about slowing down and realizing you’re not supposed to keep going nonstop all the time. Have you ever considered the fact that God rested on the seventh day?
By the seventh day, God had finished the work he was doing; so on that day, he rested from all his work of creation. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy because, on it, he rested from all the work of creation he had done. Genesis 2:2-3 NIV
Imagine the God of the universe saying, “It’s okay to rest and take a ‘blessing’ day.”
I spent many years trying to keep up, do everything, and burn my candle at both ends. I finally ran out of wick. There were never enough hours in my day.
I was determined to prove I could handle everything life threw at me and accomplish what seemed impossible, all while keeping a smile on my face. I took pride in doing so.
What was I thinking?
God rested before a shrub appeared, rain fell, or man was created. He took a break.
Nowhere in the Bible are you told to keep a house that is Martha Stewart perfect. I hope you realize that she has a large production team that keeps her house white-glove clean, gathers all the ingredients for her culinary masterpieces, and designs her over-the-top creations.
You are a one-person company.
You weren’t meant to bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan, serve it on fine china, wash the dishes by hand, and serve it all with a homemade German Chocolate Cake, while always looking perfectly put-together.
You know what? Taking a timeout helps your body and mind reset.
Reset: to return to the proper position. Avoid becoming overworked, overstressed, or overwhelmed.
In my book, From the Hart, I talk about my mother and how she would sit and rock on her front porch. She once told me that as you get older, you begin to appreciate the sounds you hear when you’re sitting in silence. She said that the quiet allows you to smell the scent of a rose or freshly mown grass in a way you can’t when the world is noisy. Mom was right.
Photo provided by Janet Hart Leonard
I’m really looking forward to warm weather, when you’ll find me sitting on my porch, listening to the kids playing at North Elementary, where I went to school, and enjoying a ‘blessed’ day. I’ll be taking my own advice.
I might add a prayer: “Lead me not into exhaustion, where I fear the evil of needing to get it all done will take me.”
It is in quietness and stillness that I find a refuge, a place to converse with God, where peace acts as a comfort blanket. In those moments of silence, my weary soul can breathe some sweet relief, and I can genuinely sing, “It is well with my soul.” I have never felt that my soul is nourished in chaos.
How’s your soul feeling? How’s your barometer of peace? Are you feeling the need to have a ‘blessed’ day?
If I can do anything with the words I’m writing this week, I am giving you permission to rest and not feel slathered with guilt.
Blessings,
Janet
I also want to wish my mother a Happy Birthday in Heaven. On March 14, she would have celebrated her 100th birthday. I still hear her voice when I write. She taught me well.
Janet Hart Leonard can be contacted at janethartleonard@gmail.com or followed on Facebook or Instagram (@janethartleonard). She is the recipient of the Reporter’s Spring 2025 Ink-Stained Wretch award. Visit janethartleonard.com.