Burnout Week: Withdraw
6 May 2009Part two of burnout week (Read part one here)
Withdraw Weekly
I withdraw weekly on Fridays. If you don’t take a day off each week, you are breaking the ten commandments. Seriously, its in the same list in the Bible as murder, adultery, stealing, etc. Whoa. That’s how serious God takes the sabbath.
And don’t call it your day off. Call it what it is…your sabbath.
On my sabbath, I like to do some extra diversion such as a longer run, a bike ride, or more time with Couper and Amber.
I am fairly good at diverting daily, but I stink at withdrawing weekly. I need to learn to force myself to stay off the phone and off the computer on my sabbath day.
It takes some serious energy to do God’s will. Psalm 94:19 (LB) says, “Lord, when doubts fill my mind, when my heart is in turmoil, quiet me and give me renewed hope and cheer.” I admit that I am almost afraid of silence. It makes most Americans uncomfortable. When we get in the car we turn on the radio. When we get home, we flip on the TV or the computer. God says, “If you want to lower your stress, it’s as simple as this: shut up. Be silent. Stop talking. Start listening.”
I think that mastering the art of withdrawing weekly and getting alone with God in the secret and quiet place can re-energize us more than anything. We just have to learn what it means to sabbath and stop breaking this commandment.
- Tags: anne jackson, burnout, CadillacZak, flowerdust, focus, GOD, mad church disease, sabbath, withdraw, zak white
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1 Response to Burnout Week: Withdraw
Bunk
May 7th, 2009 at 4:46 pm
I am a firm believer of sabaticals, even if for just a few hours to a day. If you look in the scripture you will see that Jesus regularly retreated at various moments in his ‘ministry’.
As for myself, going to the gym is a must for me in that I can effectively get everything that has stressed me out for the day out of my head. I also find that both reading and writing are very theraputical to me as well.
However, numero uno would have to be spending time with my kids. Nothing more I look forward to our brings me more joy than simply playing again.