Rest as Resistance
Earlier this year, around February, I (Denia Bradshaw) participated in this 40 day “mantra project.” Day eight’s mantra was “today I give myself a break.” The creator of this project begins with a mantra for each day, couples it with a message, and concludes it with insightful, yet powerful quotes for inspiration. That said, that is how I came across this book: Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey. I could not help but relate this book’s message and framework to Sunday’s wrap up of the Juicy Life series and the shares from Bill and Katy’s journey this past summer.
The Rest Is Resistance framework also does not believe in the toxic idea that we are resting to recharge and rejuvenate so we can be prepared to give more output to capitalism. What we have internalized as productivity has been informed by a capitalist, ableist, patriarchal system. Our drive and obsession to always be in a state of “productivity” leads us to the path of exhaustion, guilt, and shame. We falsely believe we are not doing enough and that we must always be guiding our lives toward more labor. The distinction that must be repeated as many times as necessary is this: We are not resting to be productive. We are resting simply because it is our divine right to do so (Hersey, 2022, p. 46).
Have you ever thought of rest as a foundation for justice? …it is our divine right to do so.
Serena and I were chatting on Taco Sunday after the service about productivity and how our culture unfortunately deems that as ideal, as value and “success.” As it relates to this, here is another quote from Tricia Hersey (2022) I just have to share:
We are socialized into systems that cause us to conform and believe our worth is connected to how much we can produce. Our constant labor becomes a prison that allows us to be disembodied. We become easy for the systems to manipulate, disconnected from our power as divine beings and hopeless. We forget how to dream. This is how grind culture continues. We internalize the lies and in turn become agents of an unsustainable way of living (p.68).
Likened to what Brenna spoke about “gentleness being on purpose” (vs “grit”), she reminded us (and I paraphrase): when we intentionally set ourselves up… growth happens naturally, gentleness is how we grow and change. “Try harder” is not the voice of Jesus. We change because God says we are worth so much more.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. - Matthew 11:28-30
What voice and or narrative might you invite Jesus in to?
*Hersey, T. (2022). Rest is resistance: a manifesto. First edition. New York, Little, Brown Spark.