Rest: Gracia Mukiibi

Rest has always felt like a foreign concept to me. I lived my life knowing I had so much to accomplish every day and year after year.

I’ve always been able to juggle many things and wear many hats. As a teenage girl, I volunteered with multiple organisations while completing high school, and at university, I pursued multiple degrees, sometimes completing twice the normal subject load each semester. By the age of 21, I had two degrees and other qualifications and accreditations!

I was exhausted at times but didn’t want to admit it because I had so many expectations to meet for myself and others. I knew I was superhuman, and so did others. When help was needed, I would be the first to volunteer and showed up every time, whether willingly or unwillingly and no matter the cost.

I’m incredibly grateful that I’ve always valued time. Every second, minute, and hour counts, and God gave me the heart to love endlessly. For those who know me well, they understand that I live a very principled life.

I only realised I was human when I almost burnt myself to the ground. I was exhausted mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and socially – let’s just say in every way. It was actually my husband who woke me up to this reality because if it were left to me, I wouldn’t have had time to stop, retrieve, or recover.

As I became a wife and, more importantly, a mother, I realised there was only so much I could do. I no longer had the energy or time to be everything to everyone. The Lord spoke to me and said, “You are not Jesus!” This liberated me and freed me from the prison of guilt. It’s great to be dependable, but it’s toxic when your heart is abused and misused.

I’ve always been busy, and I’m glad I’ve seen the results of my hard work. However, in a world that constantly demands our time and attention, I’ve realised that being busy doesn’t always mean being effective. I spend a lot of time helping people who can’t understand why they’re so busy but not productive, as they seem stuck in the same rat year after year.

You can live life for everyone else except yourself. You can post and edit photos for your followers that you don’t enjoy, run around with your kids and miss out on quality time, take up so many shifts at work that you never get to enjoy a penny, have nice furniture in your home but never sit on them, and the list goes on.

I’ve made a conscious effort to prioritise rest and put myself first. I’ve learned to love myself enough to not live life to please everyone else but me. This also means having control over what I say yes and no to. One of my bosses once told me, “If you don’t manage your time, someone else will!” It’s true. Without plans for your time, you’ll end up watching TikTok videos for hours or sitting on your Netflix couch, realising you don’t have time for your dreams or what truly matters.

The question is not necessarily whether people are busy, but whether they invest their time in what matters. Time is the only equaliser, everyone has the same amount entrusted to them each day, irrespective of gender, age or status. It’s up to you what you decide to do with those 24 hours.

Life isn’t a dress rehearsal; we can’t live waiting for a better tomorrow that will eventually become today and yesterday. It’s a gift to mankind, and we need to treasure it and make the most of it.

Taking rest has become an absolute priority for me. I now plan my rest times and how I’ll spend them. On most days, I take quality time soaking in God’s Word while enjoying my favourite drink in my favourite mug. On other days, I take a long, uninterrupted bath. Every few weeks, I plan escape opportunities with my loved ones to maintain my mind, body, soul, and spirit. We’re called to be faithful stewards of this ‘temple of God’ called the body (1 Corinthians 6:19).

If my Creator rested on the 7th day (Genesis 2:2), how much more do I need it?