It’s useless to rise early and go to bed late,
and work your worried fingers to the bone.
Don’t you know he enjoys
giving rest to those he loves?
Psalm 127:2 (NLT)
On first glance it looks like the Bible is saying we should all stay up late and sleep in, right? But that is not what the Bible says. The Bible actually talks about an honest man earning his keep and working diligently.
This text is talking about a problem I have. The problem is thinking that if I work hard enough I can make everything look like I want it to or better yet, look like what God wants it to be. In my willingness to work hard, I forget that I am not in charge. I forget that even though I can and will put in long hours, God is the one with all the answers, not me.
I forget that I need to rest and let God be God. God wants us to rest. That's why he gave us the Sabbath. A day to rest, a day to spend with him, a day to remember that He is in control.
The really awesome thing about resting is it often includes time with family and friends, laughter and fun. And then, when I get back to it, my mind is fresh and ready to tackle the work before me understanding completely who is in control.