Have you ever been so stressed or busy that you almost forget to eat, sleep or rest at all? That problems befalls me from time to time and I have to force myself to get out of the "zone". Yeah, you know what I mean….
With recently relocating to Gainesville, GA, I have become quite the busy bee in building new relationships here and in other countries and it can get overwhelming quick! Praise Jesus that in serving, I am channeled so much joy in every moment! I walk around here with a smile on my face knowing that the Father is orchestrating all of this – not me!
Even in the joyous work of the Lord, it is easy to get worn out, overwhelmed and worked over quickly, right? I'm a man, I'm a go-getter, I like to get things done, I love building relationships and I love working hard. I can also hear my mom saying right now, "You better watch it, boy!" I know, mom, I know…. I'm already getting to the point where I ask Bruce to remind me to break from time-time and remember to even eat lunch! That's accontability at its best right there….
You know the one thing that I don't have a problem with doing? Riding my mountain bike. It's a pleasure, a release, and such a time to spend getting a refreshing taste of God's creation.
I was riding out at Chicopee Mountain Bike Trails when I came across a 17 year old kid and his dad. They asked me if I wanted to ride with them and naturally, being the people person that I am, I said "yes". Once our bodies were covered in sweat and after a few needed breaks, Ryan, the son, said, "Dad, this breeze feels so good!" I immediately noticed that the breeze had been there the whole time but it wasn't until we took a break and got back at it that we noticed how refreshed we were! Every time, Ryan spoke of this refreshing breeze and he was amazed time and time again.
Isn't this a perfect picture of our everyday lives as we operate in what is before us? We work, we get exhausted. We work, we get exhausted again and on the weekends, it seems that we don't slow down either. This can be a danerous cycle that is undesired of the Father for our lives – it can be devastating over the course of time.
Jesus rested: Matthew 8:24
Man is to rest: Mark 6:31, Hebrews 4:4; 9-10, Psalm 46:10
When's the last time you took a whole day to simply rest?
After the tight squeeze of the week, be sure to rest in the Lord and you will reap the benefits of the cool breeze. Afterall, this 'refreshing breeze' has always there, we just need to recognize it and chose to enjoy it!
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Spend time in Meditation/Prayer
- Take a walk
- Slow down/Try not to think
- Take some time away from work
- Do some light exercise
- Go for a swim
- Lay in a hammock for a while
- Take a bike ride
- Listen to music and do nothing else
- Take a bath/go to the spa
- Go fishing
Colby, Good word. After day and night in Cuba, and day and night in D.C. I am starting to run on empty. Saturday I plan to just sit some with the Father. Thanks for this reminder