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November 9, 2007

Rest from the Race

by by Jane Rubietta

Limp with exhaustion, I leaned into my husband's arms and buried my face against his shoulder. "I don't want to wait ?til heaven to not be tired." This was a pattern for me as I zealously strove to minister across the continent to women.

As women in ministry, the demand will always exceed the supply. There will always be far more ministry than we can accomplish personally. But even more importantly, we model the faith life, the trust life, for other women. When I read Jeremiah 50:6, addressed to the Israelites in captivity in Babylon, my heart sank to realize my own responsibility.

"My people have been lost sheep;
Their shepherds have led them astray
And caused them to roam on the mountains.
They wandered over mountain and hill
And forgot their resting place."

Who leads them astray, away from their Resting Place? Their shepherds.

In our crazy, Babylon-busy lifestyles, we unwittingly buy into the slavery of too much work and too little rest - with a result far broader than exhaustion or burnout. We can blame it on the culture, but in reality, we also teach other women to live beyond their physical means, their God-given limits.

It makes me wonder what I believe about God. Is he really my Shepherd? Can he restore my soul? Lead me beside still waters? And what about those words from Jesus: "Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden?"? Was Jesus serious, and if so, why are we so weary, so heavy-laden?

What will it take to live a lifestyle of rest, despite the craziness? First, fill in the blank: "I'm SO TIRED of ______________." (laundry, e-mails, my kids, messes, work?) Keep filling it in, with the first words that come to mind. Make a list and keep it before you as you consider the following elements that comprise a Resting Place life. You may find, as I did, that you are hard of hearing.

1. Listen to your body. We tend to ignore our fatigue and short-change our sleep, living without boundaries. I gave up caffeine because I wasn't living an honest life - I had no idea what I was capable of doing without coffee, nor what God was able to do without my souped-up efforts. Gauge your fatigue level. Right now, I'm concerned about my daily tiredness and am trying to build in more sleep, better food habits, and kindness.

2. Listen to your heart. Why do you say yes when you should say no? Do you want to be loved, respected, needed, validated? Where do you feel anger, dread, fear, worry? Tune in to the telegrams your emotions send. They're God's messengers.

3. Listen to your family. Have you heard, "You're gone so much, Mom"? Or "Everyone else gets your best energy. You save nothing for me"? How about, "No one has time to listen anymore"? Do they comment on your Babylonian living, or have they given up on you? What price are they paying, are you paying, in exchange for your ministry? Our family is, as one friend in ministry told me, "our first church."

4. Listen to God. When did you last wait in silence, just breathing, letting God love you? What if you take ten minutes and cease striving, stop sending God your bullet-point prayer list, and just relax with him? No agenda, just loving and being loved. You might fall asleep - but even so, that would be a sure-fire message from your Resting Place God.

5. Listen to what you've discovered. What ONE thing will you change, eliminate, shift? All the talk in the world will not make God our Resting Place and will not keep sheep from roaming and getting lost.

The workload will always be larger than our abilities. Thankfully, the Lord never said, "You go, baby. You can do this all on your own." Rather, He said, "My grace is sufficient for you." "With you, it's impossible, but with me, all things are possible." Putting primary emphasis on God as our Resting Place, learning to listen deeply and act on what we're hearing, then even in seasons of craziness we model the most important lesson for others: Faithful is he who calls us, and he also will bring it to pass" (I Thess. 5:24).

Not me. Not you. Not working endless hours or setting a frantic pace. Only God.

Posted by Caryn Rivadeneira on November 9, 2007 7:46 AM

Comments

We all get busy with being busy, bowing at the altar of toil. I have begun the self-inflicted Shabbat where I take a break from everything: chores, shopping, even ministry in church... time to reflect and be open to G-d and my husband. My cell is off, I have no plans, and I can truly rest. This happens on Saturday because Sunday I am busy with ministry and tying up loose ends and I really don't have time to reflect and spiritually REST. I'm busy ministering to others and the focus isn't directed where it should be.

I have found that I am much more focused on Sunday when I get my Shabbat, and center my soul.

Posted By: Sara | November 9, 2007 12:36 PM

I have found that when I start "Doing unto the Lord" instead of "Doing unto Juli", I can get a lot more done. Putting ourselves in these positions for our own purposes, as you mentioned, won't do any good. But doing them for the Lord, now there's a great challenge!

Posted By: Juli | November 14, 2007 8:54 AM

Often we find ourselves without rest when we are trying to get our God-given needs met apart from Him.
We can only enter the rest Christ speaks of as we allow Him to live His life through us.
God always leads while the enemy of our soul pushes us. I konw that whenever I feel desperate or feel like I have to do something or make a choice now!--that fear is in control.
I can't picture Christ hurrying and pushing Himself through the dusty roads. He wasn't out to meet all the needs of the people around Him. He tells us, "I do only what the Father tells me to do." As we learn to wait upon the LORD for our marching orders and not move until He does, He will give them to us.

Posted By: Doreen Pettit | November 15, 2007 3:16 PM

As you listen to your body, I would add- listen to your mind as well. What is a reasonable schedule for us? What is rational? We need to allow safe thinking and a clear mind to guide us here as well. Not a spirit of fear, not power to bull doze our way through the day, but a calm, sound mind that lets us hear God's plan for our lives.

Posted By: Lauren at Faith Fuel | November 16, 2007 12:38 PM

I've started something groundbreaking (for me). I've decided my house doesn't need to be immaculate for our Sunday night prayer group. It occurred to me that along with stressing myself out, I was teaching the younger women in our group an unrealistic standard for hospitality. Too many of us are living in isolation because we’re obsessed with keeping up appearances. So thank you Jane for encouraging those of us who are recovering “to do” list lunatics!

Posted By: Joyce | November 28, 2007 4:59 PM

Thanks, Jane for your insights. I wanted to also encourage Sara for her engaging in Shabbat in her life. (Although I would encourage her to not call it self-inflicted but rather an amazing gift and privilege she has given herself...from God) We talk so much about 'busyness' but how much time do we waste not doing anything about it? Thank you, Sara, for modeling it...even quietly...to those you serve on Sundays. Jane, do keep challenging us!

My late Pastor-husband asked questions about "God's Rest" in his journal only weeks before he died of a heart attack. It is a question we would all do well to not only ponder, but to practice in our lives.

Perhaps, partaking of Sabbath is 'Christmas'...every day...HIS PRESENCE.

Posted By: Annie | December 6, 2007 5:05 PM

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