We live in a ‘how to get more done’ kind of world. There are all kinds of books, online tools, podcasts and articles on how to use time management more effectively at work, which in theory, is supposed to give you more time to do the things you love once you leave your place of business. Still, there just doesn’t seem to be enough hours in any given day to accomplish all we want to, even after taking courses, creating lists, and ‘plans’ which are designed to aid us! This is just one example: (And I'm not suggesting there is anything wrong with this site!) https://www.thewerklife.com/managing-everything/ (This goes with the attached photo)
Our needs are great on so many levels; including physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual. We have families to care for— our spouse, children who are involved in numerous activities and even homeschooling for some, given the current COVID situation; older parents who made need aid, and extended family, and jobs or careers which can be demanding.
Add to this our spiritual needs, we attend church, perhaps Sunday School—maybe even teach a class, and become involved in other activities, which in and of themselves are all worthwhile, but can be overwhelming when we’ve added too many. And still there is the element of relational which requires spending time with our spouse and our children if we are going to be successful. This may include ‘alone’ time with each, or even a family vacation or other activities not already on the list!
And these lists don’t even include the yard work or other ‘domestic’ duties required to keep the home maintained, or the cooking so everyone can eat, or car maintenance and the list goes on and on! Where does it stop? Does it stop? When do we have rest time or ‘self-care’ time? Often we don’t. There are ramifications for this, like health problems from sheer exhausting, and emotional and physical burnout!
It’s interesting to read in God’s Word about how Jesus and the disciples took the time to rest. The disciples were busy learning as they followed Jesus, and Jesus seemed to be always ‘doing.’ He healed, and seemed often doing other miracles, and taught— a lot—not only the disciples but all the other people who followed along! They did so much, yet Jesus was cognizant of the need to rest.
During the feeding of the 5,000 Jesus said to his disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” (Mark 6:30-34) He recognized that as humans, we reach a point where we are no good to ourselves or anyone else when we are exhausted. He also knew that time alone with the Father is critical to growing in the Faith, and in our relationship with Him, as well as renewing our physical energy. This is a perfect example of how we should render our days.
People followed Jesus and the disciples that day, even though the idea was to steal away. It demonstrates that life is going to continue, probably busily, but we still must designate a time for renewal. In this way we will be able to allow God to ‘restore’ our soul and our minds, so functionality in all areas is clearer.
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