“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” Proverbs 31:27 ESV
I think I’m eating the bread of idleness today.
AI says “‘Eating the bread of idleness’ refers to living off the results of laziness, sloth, or wasting time.”
Or maybe I’m just plain tired. I think the LORD allows for rest in the Bible somewhere.
Oh yes!
Matthew 11:28 (ESV) “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
And
Psalm 127:2 (ESV) “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”
And
Mark 6:31a (ESV) “‘And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.'”
But I think after that rest, we have to get back to work because the Bible encourages work.
“‘…Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.’ Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living.” 2 Thessalonians 3:10b-12 (NLT)
I especially love this verse:
“Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before.” 1 Thessalonians 4:11 (NLT)
When I’m feeling especially tired I go back and remember what I’ve done and where I’ve come from in taking care of the house and land the LORD has given us to care for. It helps me break the feelings of guilt for resting an extra day, when I know I need it, and to remind myself… I do work.
I cleaned weeds out of this bed on Saturday and now it is ready for a weed barrier and mulch.
I’ve worked on this bed over the last several weeks.
I moved these plants that I wintered over in the greenhouse— out, and now I have large planters in the greenhouse that I planted with potatoes. I have too many cats hanging around to plant potatoes in the ground.
My husband took an old plant stand that was falling apart and added wood on the ends to shore it up. After several coats of white spray paint, it now holds herbs on my deck so I can step out the back door and gather them for use in cooking. However, my grand daughter had to remind me the other day to use fresh instead of dried in a recipe I was making, because this is the first year I’ve had herbs so close at hand. She enjoyed stepping out on the deck to gather them.
I worked on this bed about a month ago and got it back into shape.
And this project took several years to compete, but is a nice place to rest now.
What helps you when you are feeling nonproductive to encourage yourself to get back to work?