Being sick stinks.
Being sick on the World Race in Nepal stinks even more.
I have been in Nepal for almost three weeks and the majority of the time I have been sick with something. Therefore, I haven’t been able to do that much ministry.
My first thought is that God will be able to heal me. He’s Healer right?
Then I think, well what does God want to teach me in this.
The first time I had to stay back from ministry this month was very very hard. I wanted to go minister but I was advised that I needed to rest.
I thought to myself that it was only a stuffy nose and a sore throat. I could fight through it.
I struggled with this greatly but my wonderful team leader kept on insisting for me to rest.
As everyone else was going to have fun ministering in the slums I stayed laying in my bed plagued with Bible verses that pointed to laziness. But was I really lazy?
The verses that swam through the crevices of my cranium came from the book of Proverbs.
“How long will you sleep, O sluggard? When will you arise out of your sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep– so will your poverty come upon you like a stalker, and your need as an armed man.” – Proverbs 6:9-11
“The desire of the slothful kills him, for his hands refuse to labor.” – Proverbs 21:25
These are just some of the verses that my mind mentioned to my heart.
And so I laid there in the bed battling the bombardment of the sickness that ensued and the verses of the Word of God.
I couldn’t help but think that I was being too lazy and not doing enough and that people would think I was just trying to get out of ministry.
It took me awhile but I began to realize that the enemy was just trying to speak lies into my head.
“When he lies, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” -John 8:44c
In the context of this verse, Jesus is talking about the devil and that if God is not your father then the devil is.
The enemy also used scripture to tempt Jesus but Jesus used scripture right back.
The Word of God is a sword and can be used to fight you spiritually in your mind and spirit.
As I sat and prayed I began to realize how important rest was and that I was not giving myself any rest. I kept going like an energizer bunny.
God tells us to rest. He commands it.
“Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.” -Exodus 20:8
“Then He said to them, ‘The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.'” – Mark 2:27
God wants us to rest. He made rest for us.
I then began to realize that I needed rest and even though it was hard for me to rest I did. I believe that God allowed me to get sick so that I would learn how important it is to rest the body.
My old roommate Austin Barnwell would always say to me, “Self-care man, self-care.”
These words are true. God wants you to take care of your body. It’s hard to do that in a culture that is always ‘Go, go, go” but God commands us to rest.
What did I learn from my sick days? Rest is a good thing and that it is okay to say no and stay away from ministry sometimes. It’s okay to have time for yourself. It’s okay to have fun times and not be so serious all of the time.
It’s okay to stop working and sit still.
It’s okay.
I know this blog may be a little bit everywhere but I want you to know that I am feeling much better and I have rested quite a bit this month. I hope that you can find rest in the Lord as much as I have.
Live life, pour into others, but also pour into yourself.
Have rest.
It’s okay.
