For anyone who has spent time on social media, or watching YouTube videos, you’ve likely seen a reel of someone dragging their French Bulldog through the grass because the pup refuses to walk. They can be a stubborn breed, as can the Boston Terrier.
So, when you have a combo of those two breeds, be prepared for lots of sass! Maisy and Mimi both have it in spades.
Recently as I’ve been walking both girls together, Mimi (pictured) will suddenly go from trotting along nicely to stopping mid-trot and crashing in the grass, as you see above. Flat out, and not getting up until she’s ready.
Surprisingly, knowing my own tendency to be a bit stubborn, rather than making her get up, or creating my own “drag your Frenchie” reel, I stood by patiently until she made her own decision to resume her walk.
This pattern repeated itself three or four times during our mile-long walk, and it didn’t take long for me to recognize the wisdom she showed—resting the moment she needed to, as only a dog can.
No apologies. No excuses. No shame. No arguing (mostly because I allowed it to happen). Just an acute awareness of her need to stretch out for 10-15 seconds in the lush, cool grass. What a smart pup!
Clearly wiser than her owner, as I found myself questioning how well I rest when I need to. And maybe more importantly, do I rest “in the moment” that I need it most? Or do I finish my “walk” and do a few dozen more tasks before finally resting (crashing?) at the end of the day?
Even though the demands on my time are far lighter than they were when I worked full-time and lived on labor-intensive acreages with Dale, I still haven’t mastered the whole “rest when you should” concept.
I can still push the limits, cramming as much as possible onto my to-do list, and feeling compelled to complete it day in and day out. Even when I intentionally slow down—curling up with a book for a quiet hour or two—I can still hear that inner voice murmuring that I should be doing something more productive.
That’s not God’s idea of rest!
So, to repeat the title question – is rest a command or a suggestion?
Of course, you know what’s coming, don’t you? Scripture has something to say about that – and answers the question without hesitation.
Let me offer up just a few of the texts that make it clear God knows exactly what we need when he calls us to rest.
- Sabbath rest is a command – Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work… (Exodus 20:8-10)
- God himself rested – And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested… So, God blessed the seventh day and made it holy… (Gensis 2:2-3)
- Rest is obedience – So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God… Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11)
So clearly, rest isn’t just a self-care tip or a subtle suggestion – it’s a spiritual discipline and an act of obedience. God doesn’t command us to rest to keep us from finishing that all-too-important task list, he does it for our good.
He knows what we need because he created us.
When we consistently ignore this command, it can reflect a lack of trust in God’s provision and his timing. We put the entire burden on ourselves rather than knowing God will reward us for obediently taking a step back.
I’m not suggesting this is easy. I know most of you have packed days of work, child-rearing, ministry and a host of other obligations. Even with our packed schedules, there are still moments when we can pause, quiet the noise, and find rest in Jesus.
Ask God specifically to give you those moments, or eyes to see them when they present themselves. He wants us to rest. Do we really think he won’t open up some opportunities to do just that?
Place your trust in him and look forward with hope to the ways he will bless your obedience to this difficult command.
And if you need a visual reminder – feel free to save this restful image of Miss Mimi!
Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10