rest
We are an exhausted generation. Our culture baits us to live a life that is unsustainable, and it is robbing us of the joy of life. It is robbing us emotionally, physically, relationally and spiritually. For some, you are going to think that this is not realistic, but I want to encourage you to lean in to make this happen for yourselves and for those in your life. God wants this application for you. You and I will either reap the benefits of applying this to our lives, or we will suffer the consequences for not, but it is up to us to choose.
I want us to look at a situation in the Bible where this application was not applied and then a passage where it was applied in the New Testament. The first one is found in 1 Kings 19 where Elijah had just been used by God to perform a great miracle. (See 1 Kings 18: Elijah challenges the Prophets of Baal)
1 Kings 19:1-9 “Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 19:2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” 19:3 Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 19:4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” (Have you ever been there? Have you ever said that; “I have had enough?” Have you ever felt that work, or life was overwhelming you? This can lead us to disillusionment, discouragement, depression, and can blind us so our defenses are down, and we don't see circumstances properly. Elijah is exhausted. He is physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted and his defenses are down. This is when we are vulnerable. God knows this about us. Notice what God does next. (He does not give him a pep talk.)
19:5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep. All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 19:6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again. 19:7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 19:8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 19:9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.” (Notice the pattern: sleep, eat, sleep, eat! Then he takes the journey and sleeps. He is being recharged physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Then God speaks. Elijah could not hear from God before because he was physically, emotionally and spiritually drained. This leads us to our next application: rest.
We, as a society, so undervalue rest, especially us as Christians! When it comes to spiritual disciplines, we have prayer, Bible study, devotions, fasting, and giving - - all of which are important - - but rest is rarely mentioned. Is that not ironic? It is talked about throughout scripture? Even in creation, God set up an example for us to follow. He rested on the seventh day, not because He needed it, but He wanted to model it for us. He made it a part of the Law. Somehow, we as Christians have missed this.
Burnout is not spiritual. What the kingdom of God needs is not a burned-out person but a replenished, energized and passionate person. Bill Hybels said; “The pace at which I was doing the work of God was killing the work of God in me.” If we try to run life at an unsustainable pace, life will fall apart. In a survey taken from children, grades 3 through 12, most children wished their parents were less tired and stressed. They wanted replenished and energized parents.
Notice who got this right. Jesus! If Jesus was intentional to get this right in His life, shouldn’t we? Notice the pattern in His life. He would be engaged in His calling and work; then He would pull out and rest, replenish, pray and reflect, then re-engage. Every time God would do some great work through Him, he would pull out and rest, replenish, pray and reflect. Matthew 14:22, 23 (after the feeding of the 5000) “Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 14:23After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,”
Your life moves to a better place when you move at a sustainable pace. If you run a fast pace with everything in your life with no rest and replenishment, your life will move to a bad place. You will begin to break down emotionally; you will begin to break down physically and begin to rely on yourself and not God and that will begin to flow to the people in your life. Your life moves to a better place when you move at a sustainable pace.
Let me share three suggestions with you. A) What if we make it a point to have a 24-hour Sabbath every week. Pull away from your e-mail, Facebook, twitter, etc. In other words, pull away from your work for a full 24-hour period. God wants you to actually enjoy the life that He has given you. If you see life as a series of to do list, you are going to be robbed of the joys of life. This will help remind you of the goodness and blessings that God has given you. You may think your business is going to suffer for you taking some time off, but the reality is, it is going to suffer if you do not. How much better would you be as an employer or employee, as a co-worker, if you were rested and replenished? How much better would you be as a parent or spouse if you were rested? Rest is a must!
What if before you go to bed, do not check your e-mail or your Facebook. When you get up, do not check your e-mail first. Reboot your mind by having a devotion, taking a walk, or eating breakfast.
What if you purpose to have a quarterly Recharge – Make sure you have some R & R where you take off for 2 or three days and reflect and recharge.
The most important thing that you give your family, your employer, your Heavenly Father is a refreshed, enthusiastic, energized and passionate person. REST.