What about the REST of us?
If you are one of those folks who lives by a clock that never has enough time on it, keep reading. Maybe there?s even a chance your trying to read this while driving. If that?s the case, please don?t continue to read past the next punctuation mark. (Stop! I mean it. Please. Before you get yourself killed.) Or, if you?re reading this while inhaling your lunch and glancing at your watch every fifteen seconds, relax. I hope that by the time you?re finished you?ll have a different perspective on what you?re doing to yourself if your rushed behavior is indicative of an over-stressed, maxed-out lifestyle that you?re trying to live ?in Jesus? Name.?
Stressed, rushed, hurried, harried or otherwise, I?m glad you?re reading this right now because I want to address a subtle deficiency that is robbing God?s people of the abundant life Jesus promised.
We lack rest.
And many church leaders aren?t addressing the issue. They don?t think it is one. As a matter of fact, the average church leader seems to be trying to get his congregation to work more and harder, not less, and they applaud those who set the most rigorous example.
A well-respected pastor of a very large church recently theologized such a stance at a conference for pastors and church leaders which I attended, ?The reason we get a glorified body in the next life is because we?re supposed to wear this body out here!? Sounds spiritual, doesn?t it? He went on to explain that he doesn?t like to hear warnings about ?burn-out.? Sounded like the ol? I?d-rather-burn-out-for-Jesus-than-rust-out mentality.
Quite frankly, I don?t believe either option – burning out nor rusting out – is preferable nor biblical. There are other options. Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest preachers of all time who lived in England a century ago, was once approached by a friend urging him to rest. ?Rest?!? Spurgeon exclaimed.? We have all eternity to rest! Now is the time we must work!?
I?m hearing the Spurgeon quote used by well-meaning pastors urging their flock to work harder for the Kingdom. I don?t know if Spurgeon?s statement has been verified as authentic, but if so, hopefully it?s been taken out of context. If that?s not the case, and he really meant what it sounds like he meant, I must mention that it?s documented fact that Charles Spurgeon was known to have endured great bouts of depression. If his mentality concerning rest was that we don?t need it this side of Heaven, that may explain at least one cause of his depression. His depression may have been clinical.
We are not just spirit and soul. Our being includes a body. It?s a limited, physical body that operates according to specific natural laws that God Himself set up. And no matter how spiritual you or I may attempt to be, we can?t break these natural, biological laws – we only break ourselves against them. Honoring the laws that govern the proper use of our body are just as biblical and necessary as honoring the laws that govern our spiritual health. And each affects the other.
Someone has said, ?if your output exceeds your intake, then your upkeep will be your downfall.? Exactly right. And downfall is exactly what more and more in the Body of Christ are experiencing.
That?s why God has been calling his people to rest since the beginning. The fact is, the body wasn?t made to work or even be active seven days a week. We need relief from knotted stomachs, adrenaline rushes, and stress. So when God gave the ?big 10,? he made something very clear. On the Sabbath, no work. Period. Penalty for violation? Execution. This was serious business. Now if God takes our rest so seriously, why don?t we?
God Himself, not having a physical body – and not needing rest regardless – decided to set the example for us. He worked six days, then rested. You may have heard the statement: ?The Devil never takes a vacation, so why should I?? Just why should the Devil be our example? God set the standard in the beginning by law and example.
Let?s face it, we are over-using our bodies, our minds, and our emotions and we?re paying the price. We?re in desperate need of a break in the Body of Christ.
Sure, there are some exceptions. Some folks walk an isle, sign a card and are told to take a seat and they think that?s the Great Commission. There are those who need to ?go to the ant,? but for the rest of us, there little rest for us.
Elijah?s exhaustion led to depression in 1 Kings chapter 17. So the Lord made him dinner and told him to eat and rest,? for the journey is too much for you.?
Do we really think Jesus is pleased by our driving ourselves into the ground doing kingdom work, that anything less is spiritual laziness? Look at Jesus? own example. In Mark 6:31 after hours of healing, and teaching and demon-exorcism, Jesus notices something in his disciples that desperately needs addressing – so he addresses it with this command: ?Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.?
Could it be that Jesus is saying that to you?
?Get by yourself, (your name here)?
ina a quiet place?
and get some rest.?
Not pray. Not plan. Not meditate. Just rest. Could it be that our Master is so sensitive and caring that he literally will not ask you to do more than you are physically and emotionally able? I think He might know something we don?t. Maybe He knows you?re of better use to His Kingdom and you?ll enjoy Him more if you?re not running on mere fumes. In spite of the fact that many who were still hurting, sick and demon-possessed had to wait, obeying Jesus? command to rest was the most spiritual thing the disciples could have done at that time. It could be the same for you.
On an airplane recently, I noticed that in the instructions concerning a flight emergency, the flight attendant mentioned that if the cabin becomes de-pressurized during flight, oxygen masks will drop from the ceiling. The passenger is to simply put it on and breathe normally (normally?!). They noted however that if disabled persons or small children are seated next to you that require help, be sure to put on your own mask before attempting to help others.
The point is obvious: you?re no help to others until you first get the help you need. I meet many of God?s people who are trying to help those suffocating around them when they themselves aren?t getting enough air.
Let?s face it. When I?m worn out, emotionally exhausted, spiritually drained, physically tired, I?m little use to anyone until I get some fuel back in my own tank. You?re the same way. As a matter of fact, in that condition, we?re more a hindrance than a help.
I know there are some carnal people in church, but sometimes the strife is coming from spiritual people who just need to take a breather.
Don?t misunderstand; there are times when we must engage ourselves even to the point of exhaustion in something God has given us to do. But that is the exception not the rule. That may be God?s will for us in a crisis (spiritual or otherwise) but not as a lifestyle.
Drop the martyr mentality. If you?ve lost your joy and you keep losing your cool because you?re spent, what kind of testimony can you be in Kingdom work?
You?re reading the words of an extremely busy over-achiever who has a hard time heeding my own advice. But I?ve been balanced and I?ve been unbalanced, and I?ve learned that just like in nature, the fruit is always sweeter and more abundant with proper seasons in place. There is a season to work. There is a season to rest. Every day. Every week. So, be fruitful. Get some rest.
