There is something that many workers do when they receive a new calendar. It is to count holidays. Holidays give that much happiness to workers. To me, as a person who has just started a career, this autumn was the best autumn that I’d ever had. It was because I could rest for good seven days: five days for national autumn holidays, one day for National Foundation Day of Korea, and one day for Hangul [Korean alphabet] Proclamation Day.
I got back to work after the long vacation. I started to work with a deter-mination, “I will work hard from today since I got a good rest,” but I found it difficult to focus on work. I got confused with the works that were easy for me to do in normal days, and the works got returned because I didn’t do it right by going through a long procedure. When I was writing out documents, I was also scolded by my boss because I omitted main points. I struggled for a few days until I got back into my previous state when I used to be adept and fast.
‘Why am I like this, these days?’
I took a quick shower and lay on the bed, and thought to myself carefully. And the time when I used to watch TV, surf the web, and take a nap flashed through my head. That was why I could not adapt to my busy schedule because my body was lapsed into laziness during the vacation.
Actually, although it was hard to work like in a battle field, those days made me live a faithful and diligent life without getting lazy. When I worked with clear goals, I was motivated because I could see the outcome of my efforts. But when the vacation came, I didn’t do anything for too long as some compensation for working hard until then. I thought I must rest. I could rather have a meaningful time by helping my family members who were busy with national holidays, or I could work on my self-improvement that I didn’t do in normal days due to my busy schedule. But eventually, the vacation that I spent with indolence had negative effects on me.
I was frustrated but I realized something at last. Our Zion family members are busy doing the gospel work every day. We sometimes need a rest to recharge. But if we stop everything for that, it becomes poison that spoils our souls, let alone gives rest. If we think a break is the time for doing nothing, laziness will silently approach us and ruin the gospel results that we worked for, in a moment.
“Laziness brings on deep sleep, and the shiftless man goes hungry.” (Pr 19:15)
“Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.” (Ro 12:11)
Now I think I know why these verses exist in the Bible.
They say making a steady rhythm during the day is the way to have true rest. I agree on that. I will also have a true rest that can help me reflect on myself while doing the things that are given to me spiritually and physically. Then I will be reenergized physically and spiritually and run forward vigorously when the vacation is over.