R & R = Real Rest.

I didn't get to see too much of this year's Super Bowl, but it just so happened that while folding clothes I caught eye of a captivating commercial from the Kia car company. The young voice over said, "If we are not famous, we are known not by who we are, but the product we make." The still headshots of various average American workers was meant to inspire, but when I really listened, the commercial's intent left me disheartened. The hard truth is that many people agree with the Kia Telluride concept: our significance comes from what we do, NOT who we are. This approach to life creates a need to prove ourselves not just to others, but also to ourselves. The "doing" shows us and others are worth through work, and if that work is never finished (because we are all ever-changing with the seasons), then we grow wearing in our changing, growing, trying, and doing year after year.
No amount of vacation time can supplement our significance. That's why we can feel exhausted despite days off from the grind or hours of REM sleep we retain.
Moreover, since we are constantly "plugged in" today, rest takes sincere discipline, and if we are trying to prove ourselves to an ever-changing world, our work is never done. An incredible pastor, Tim Keller, spoke to his New York community (the "city that never sleeps") of a deeper kind of REM sleep needed for our souls instead of our bodies. He explained that if our souls are tired, our whole being is tired. I've experienced firsthand that the opposite is also quite true. With all external forces seemingly working together to keep me from any solid physical REM sleep, God has graciously shown me how to focus on REM for my soul, which has significantly changed my outlook on REST in general.
I was once a person who counted the hours of sleep on my fingers, and if I didn't get to eight for more than a couple days, I worried my health was in jeopardy. I was also once a person who, because of genetic predisposition, could achieve more in one hour than some people could achieve in a day. My accomplishments provided satisfaction. This is not said with pride, because it was that much harder to learn to sit long enough to hear from a non-visible, non-verbal Maker who may have had other intentions for my day.
"In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it." Isaiah 30:15
The Bible never promises REM sleep, but it does give us insight into achieving real rest. If we do not have the time or discipline to sit still for an extended period of time (not just our allotted time for the day) and the humility to recognize how much we need to sit quietly before God, then we will end up saying yes to the wrong things and no to the right.
Many quote Jesus saying, "Come to me all who are weary or burdened and I will give you rest." But they forget the next related verse, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble and you will find rest for your souls." (Matthew 11:28-29) He didn't promise a good night's sleep or early retirement. Jesus instructs us to learn from His humble spirit. He still works, but it feels like light work.
Giving up our perceived identity and our preconceived notions about our "needs" creates space for true "REM". Whether it's a season of sleeplessness (as I'm currently undergoing) or busyness (as many of us describe our days), both leave you restless. Our culture needs a new approach because our current state, whether a believer in God or not, is usually "busy" or "tired."
I know it's possible to have hope in death, and I have experienced peace despite tragedy. If these possibilities surpass all understanding, should I not also believe it's possible to have constant restfulness despite the busyness of the world? I refuse to accept a life that works towards a different season. I think it is possible to live in hope and at peace and rest, regardless of circumstances today. But it doesn't come naturally. I must constantly reevaluate my rapid eye movement in order to see if I'm moving too quickly or too slowly. We are all prone to move at the wrong pace without a perfect example.