Stop trying too hard

This morning I slept late. For me, that is 7 a.m. I am an early-to-bed and early-to-rise girl. I’m usually up by 5, but sometimes (a few times a month) I do a super-sleep—about 10 hours. Last night was a super-sleep.

I’ve never been a lazy person. I get my work done and am happy when I stay active. But I’m also not a high-energy or “always on” person. I value my downtime and am happy when I get adequate rest. It is a balancing act for me and, not unlike most people, I go through spurts of doing too much. Those times are my “trying too hard” seasons. And they are exhausting.

Trying too hard can be a physical condition—like when I’m pushing myself to fit in all the work and play and fitness efforts in order to be all I can be. My body becomes overworked, and it doesn’t lead to better health or balance (homeostasis). No, it results in exhaustion and a super-sleep.

Trying too hard can be a mental condition—like when I overwork my brain and continue to push mentally even after my work is done. In other words, I complete my work to-do list and then tackle my writing and business-building to-do list. It doesn’t seem to result in more income; it does result in mental fatigue. Another super-sleep.

Then, there is the worst form of trying too hard. It is in the spiritual sense—like when I am working to be a better Christian. Don’t get me wrong, growth in faith is a good thing. Very good. Closeness to Jesus is a good thing. Very good. But I’m not talking about growth or closeness. I’m talking about working to be better instead of simply being with God. Seeking improvement instead of simply seeking God. Striving to please God instead of resting in His goodness and grace.

This spiritual trying too hard results in a whole-body fatigue. It is a deep, whole-body exhaustion that reaches into every corner of my life and every fiber of my being. It doesn’t result in one isolated super-sleep. It results in a state of unrest that touches everything.

So, this morning, I awoke to the realization that I have been in a trying-too-hard-in-my-faith mode. And, once again, I am exhausted.

Let me be clear about something you may or may not be thinking. I know I’m human. I know I make mistakes and fall back into old ruts. And I also know God is not surprised by my tendency to work for His acceptance. So I’m not condemning myself or beating myself up. Quite the contrary, I am sighing with relief and gratitude that I awoke this morning with an awakening.

Trying too hard again. It is time to reset. Recharge. Rest.

And the beauty is this: Jesus offers me rest—again and again every single day. It is not something I must strive for. It is a gift. Free. Offered over and over. A gift that keeps on giving—I will never run out of chances to receive it.

So I look to God’s Holy Word and find I can spend my day in a spiritual state of doing nothing but receiving what Jesus has for me today.

Rest. Physical rest, mental rest, and especially spiritual rest.

Because Jesus invites me to rest in the knowledge—the fact, really—that He already opened the door for me to be a better Christian. He is my better. He opened the door to more faith. Opened the door to closeness with God. And I don’t step through by trying harder. I step through by resting in Jesus.

He did it. I cannot.

And I am invited to enter.

You are invited to enter the holy gift of rest.

It is a mystery and yet not a mystery at all. It is a calling to accept and receive instead of trying too hard.

So stop trying too hard.

You can’t earn God’s acceptance but you can accept Jesus and all He did to open the door for you to rest in God’s love.

Hebrews 4:9-10
“So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world.”

Matthew 11:28 (The Message – a paraphrase)
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest.”

Matthew 11:29-30 (The Message – a paraphrase)
“Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”