Making money is the core aim for many individuals. It has also spurred them to do various jobs so that they can meet their financial target. I was privy to listen to a health practitioner speak some years back. In his words, many Nigerians do not rest. Constantly they hustle for financial benefits. Even when they are given a leave at their place of work, they will still use that leave period to search for something to do. This idea of endless work can weary the body and affect the health of these persons.
Some persons believe that when they work continuously without having to fall sick, they are strong and have a healthy body. Meanwhile, the stress they go through daily may become accumulated and cause future damage to their health.
The essence of rest and the need to further attend to our health regularly was buttressed by the senior pastor of Daystar Christian Centre, Pastor Sam Adeyemi. In one of his teachings titled ‘Rest and Your Health 3’, Pastor Adeyemi talked about the need to find time to rest in the process of trying to make ends meet.
Also, he made a statement attributed to Bishop David Oyedepo - If you do not find time to rest, you will soon be laid to rest. It is paramount to note that there are many persons who proudly say that they only rest when they are dead.
The renowned preacher took his scriptural backing from Genesis 2: 1-3. God rested after He made man in His image. Therefore, one of His plans for man is ‘rest’.
Dimensions to Rest
According to Pastor Adeyemi, there are two dimensions to rest. The first is spiritual while the second is physical rest.
Spiritual Rest:
There is so much anxiety and depression in the world. You must find alignment with God’s plan for your life if you desire spiritual rest. You have to break free from religion and find Christ in totality. You have to build your faith with God personally. Do not rely totally on the pastor to be your mediator for you; Jesus is your only mediator.
Pastor Adeyemi further quoted Matthew 11: 28-30. According to the renowned preacher, if rest matters to you, it should be on top of your priority list. If you place value in a particular thing, it should reflect in your diary or perhaps, top your scale of preference. He further advised that his flocks should schedule daily breaks, weekly breaks, and yearly breaks for themselves. Likewise, in scheduling these breaks, you must know how your body works as our compositions are quite different.
Physical Rest:
Most persons do not see the essence of sleep. However, sleep is as important as the life we live; it is a part of life. Pastor Adeyemi also gave a hint into the routine of Bishop Oyedepo and how he observes his rest. More so, he stated that self-awareness is an important key to success. Besides, rest is a proof of your trust in God. If you cannot go to sleep, it is a lack of trust in God.
Furthermore, if you refuse to rest when God tells you to rest, you may be too tired to work when God says it is time to work.
Benefits of Rest
Pastor Sam Adeyemi further spoke on the benefits of rest. In his words, rest improves productivity because most creativity happens during our rest period. Mistakes happen when we are stressed out. This may necessitate errors which may never be corrected to be made.
In addition, sleep creates an avenue for you to be calm and likely to listen more. When you are asleep, God does His work. Productivity is made possible when you can identify what works for you and what does not work for you. Have a plan for your life and re-strategize. If you rest well, you will be able to achieve this.
If you want to be productive, place more focus on what you do outside your work more than what you do at work. Thinking is very vital for the effectiveness of any work. Hence, for anyone to be productive with his thoughts, he has to embrace rest.
No matter our quest for financial excellence, we must embrace rest regularly. If not, we may be doomed when we break down and unable to recover.
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