“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” || Exodus 20:8-10
Stress week. Many of us have numerous stressors that bear down on us every single day. Too many appointments, responsibilities, commitments and duties can leave us with a mind swirling with more things than can possibly be completed efficiently. This is a week to dig into Scripture and see what kind of tools we can glean from the Bible regarding stress in our lives.
This chapter begins with a focus on the Sabbath. This was the first thing that God ever declared Holy in the Bible. Our obedience in observing the Sabbath is worship and praise to Him. There aren’t any specifics that we need to set in stone regarding which day we are to call Sabbath or for how many hours. The main point is that one day of our busy weeks, we are to rest. In this restfulness we are able to be restored; readied for the week ahead.
One of the suggested options this week is following the Seven Sacred Pauses: Living Mindfully Through the Hours of the Day
Overall, stress is a factor that affects us in every aspect of our lives. If we are too stressed at home, we fail to excel at work. If we are too stressed at work, we cannot be truly focused at home. If our schedules are so jam-packed full of activities, where is the time to slow down and rest? Finding that balance between activities, commitments and life is extremely challenging. This week, Jen Hatmaker offers several great options for your fast.
How do you think our culture goes against the grain of observing time for rest?
Is your life stressful?
What are you going to work on during your fast this week?
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My Reflections:
Our family schedule this year has been especially stressful. I struggle personally with wanting to do (as Jessi over at Naptime Diaries often says) “all the things.” There are so many great activities for my children and so many wonderful opportunities to serve in our community. There are also additional pressures in homeschooling to have “well-rounded” kids both educationally and socially. It’s really difficult not to take advantage of the resources available in Indianapolis. Alas, sometimes we have to learn to say no to things, even if those things are good.
After praying and thinking on what to do for the actual fast, I decided to pray 6 times/day. Not necessarily the Scripture references in the book, but just taking that time to intentionally stop what I was doing and pray. Really pray for those in need and the ones on my heart and to listen to the Lord. Sometimes those times were very short, but at other times I was able to have more quiet than I anticipated-which was wonderful.
Having said that, this week was not a fast from stress for me. We had our normal busy schedule, adding in a couple activities that are new to the schedule. By Friday I was WORN OUT. Truthfully, even the mindful stopping to pray was wearing thin on me. The girls were complaining of feeling sick to their stomachs and had low fevers and I was ready for a breather. I turned on a VeggieTales and went into the bathroom to escape. Taking some breaths and settling my heart, I grasped what the Lord was saying to me.
I need to SLOW DOWN. This is the week that we are to learn what it means to take that holy day of rest. The first thing that God ever spoke of as Holy was the Sabbath.
Unfortunately, it took some feverish children to slow me down this week. The mission was accomplished. We ended up having to cancel a dinner with friends for fear of passing along any virus. That was a major bummer. But the restful weekend we ended up having was not a bummer.
The girls played together lovingly for the entire day Saturday. This was a stark change from their normal play. We lounged and napped and I read two entire books, plus made some dents in two others. We RESTED. We enjoyed the warmer temperatures and prepared for the incoming snow of Sunday.
On Sunday came coughs and loads of snot, so again we stayed in. We ate loads of fruit and veggies. We played Barbies and danced to music. We rested more, cleaned up a bit and put away some clean laundry. The girls and I watched the first portion of “The Bible” miniseries on The History Channel and they were amazed at seeing Jesus walk on water and give the Sermon on the Mount. If I’m being totally honest, I cried a little.
The Lord knew that this weekend was just what we needed. More importantly perhaps was the fact that we heeded the call to slow things down. My pulsating desire for more was satiated with more REST. This is something we’d like to continue in the weeks to come. Restful weekends with good food and free time to play and just be a family. We’ve made this a conscious goal.
With that, I encourage you all to truly look into the stressors in your life. Maybe nothing will hit you right away. As our lives tend to speed up and speed past us, listen to what God has to say in these passages you review this week. I hope that you enjoy a restful week and Sabbath retreat.
