Rest, So You Can Be A Good Friend

Do you need rest, friend?

I can identify: "Déborah, can you please just stop by for an interview? It won't take long and would be soooo important!" 

Ah, requests like this actually make me happy, but when they reach me in the middle of an already busy day, this "can you just drop by" quickly degenerates into stress. Unhealthy stress. And very quickly I find myself in this dichotomy of "I don't want to disappoint anyone" and "but I can't take it anymore."

In fact, I canceled on someone who is really important to me, and was shocked at the not-so-friendly reaction. 

Shortly thereafter, I gave a concert and invited a friend to come along. 

She replied, "I'm sorry, but my week is already so full, I need to relax this weekend." “What?", I thought, "you don't want to go to my concert?" I was so disappointed.

Busted. I had reacted the same way as the person who wanted to invite me for an interview. 

friend, we take things personally much too quickly. My friend didn't say she didn't want to go to my concert, she merely told the truth: "I need rest." My reason for refusing the request for an interview was that I had enough on my plate and was longing for rest. 

That's why it's important that we respect others when they say, "Sorry, but I can't make it," just as we want others to understand us when we have to cancel. 

Remember:

Being there for others is important, but you must also look after yourself.

Jesus also knew how important this rest would be for his disciples after they had worked very hard. “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” (Mark 6:31 NIV) 

Do you need rest, friend? Then you need to find a quiet place and let God give you new strength there!

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NIV). 

You are a miracle!