Spiritual Resistance: Why Progress Gets Harder When You're on the Right PathSample

My culture has some peculiar views about work and rest. Some wear exhaustion as a badge of honor, boasting about 80-hour workweeks and surviving on minimal sleep. Others elevate “self-care” to an idol, seeking endless comfort and ease.

Both extremes can be manifestations of acedia – spiritual resistance to spiritual progress.

As a millennial pastor, I've observed how my generation has elevated the concept of "self-care" to unprecedented heights, partly in response to our parents' workaholic tendencies. While there is wisdom in caring for ourselves, we have sometimes overcorrected to the point where rest becomes our ultimate goal.

However, Jesus reminds us in Mark 2:27-28, "The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath." Rest is a gift from God, but it's not our ultimate purpose.

At the same time, work isn't our ultimate purpose either. In Genesis 2, we discover something remarkable about God's design. Adam wasn't created and immediately put to work; he was created on the sixth day, and his first full day was the Sabbath - a day of rest. As many have pointed out, this reality teaches us that “we don't work for rest; we work from rest.”

The pattern God established wasn't "work hard so you can eventually rest,” nor “live every day planning your next vacation or spa visit.” God’s pattern is "rest in my provision so you can work from a place of fullness."

This mindset gives us a completely different vision of both work and rest. Rest isn't merely recovery from exhaustion; it's receiving God's provision and presence. And work isn't simply productivity; it's participating in God's purposes.

When acedia strikes, it can manifest as either laziness or a form of workaholism. The lazy person lacks the spiritual energy to engage with God's purposes. The workaholic lacks the spiritual trust to rest in God's provision. Both are forms of resistance to true spiritual progress.

A biblical vision understands that we rest to refuel as we sustain our pursuit of purpose. Rest without purpose leads to aimlessness. Work without rest leads to burnout.

I've experienced both extremes. There have been seasons where I've worked frantically, believing the success of God's kingdom somehow depended on my efforts. My grandfather worked until he was 91, and my father and I have battled the tendency towards a no-boundaries approach to work. At other times, I disengage in destructive ways, using "self-care" as an excuse to avoid the challenging work God is calling me to do.

Neither extreme led me to spiritual flourishing. I found a healthy path forward as I embraced both rhythms as God designed them: purposeful work flowing from restful trust.

In practical terms, this means creating rhythms that incorporate both engagement and withdrawal, as well as productivity and peace. It means working diligently without anxiety and resting fully without guilt.

For example, I now schedule times of complete rest - no emails, no sermon preparation, no ministry responsibilities. During these times, I focus on receiving God's love and renewing my soul. Then, from that place of fullness, I return to my work with fresh energy and clear purpose.

Reflect on how your perspective on work and rest may be contributing to spiritual resistance. Are you working frantically without proper rest? Or are you resting endlessly without true purpose? Ask God to show you what a healthy rhythm would look like in your current season.

I’m excited for the final day of this plan, where we'll explore our final strategy for overcoming acedia. This strategy is tied to one of my most vivid childhood memories – a special afternoon at the movies.