One of my favorite things about Saint Vincent is the spectacular sunsets that you see almost every evening about 6:00. They are reminders of God’s grace for each day, and the beauty that we see in creation.
They are also reminders to be done.
Sunsets and evening hours are God’s way of showing me the day is winding down, and so should I. This doesn’t mean work cannot continue in the evening, but most of my time would be spent reading, organizing, or communicating with loved ones. So, the evening hours are spent on restful activities.
“Being done” or embracing restful activities sounds easy…..
but it’s actually very difficult.
There will almost always be difficult jobs or tasks left over at the end of the day. The temptation will be to dive into those difficult tasks in the evening in order to save time, or get a head start on the next day. The problem with this is my willpower and energy is gone in the evening. It’s better to admit my body and mind is limited, and leave the work till tomorrow.
This rest is an act of reliance upon the Lord as I do my best with the time and energy He has given, and then trust Him to do the rest. Embracing restful activity is my way of saying “Lord thank you for the strength of today, and please give strength for tomorrow. “
It’s a confession I cannot do it all alone
Of course, reading, spending time with friends, and getting ready for tomorrow encourages my own weary heart. But more importantly it once again proclaims God cares more about submission than effectiveness.
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