I’m Relaxin’ – Are You?
With the Christmas and New Year season upon us, it has been a time for me to finally take a small break. Most of the year I have spent hustling to do any type of job I could to generate some revenue until I recently found my new career and employment. I have spent time helping around the house as best that I could and spent time with my kids so that I wouldn’t let the years that are right in front of me pass me by (help with school, attend events, hang out together, etc.).
It has felt as though I have been in a perpetual state of motion! Never really stopping, always moving, always doing something but never actually relaxing.
What has it been like for you? Have you felt like since being required to “work from home” you never seem to stop doing your job? Have you been overwhelmed by all of the pandemic restrictions that have forced our kids to do school from home, stay inside orders, etc. that you never feel like you really get to have a break?
Jesus was the model for us as to how to take a break. Every time I read about his ministry he appears to always be in motion. Doing, walking to the next town, teaching, healing, etc. At first glance it seems like he never stopped. But if you look a little closer, he actually did take a break… he gave the example numerous times where he would rest and go pray.
“But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” Luke 5:16 (ESV)
“And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.” Mark 6:46 (ESV)
“And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray…” Matt 14:23a (ESV)
Time and time again Jesus withdrew from the people to go to the quietness of a mountainside to pray. Even though there were people still in need he knew that if he didn’t take care of himself and connect with the Father his physical body wouldn’t be able to hold up to be able to do what needed to be done.
The same holds true for us!
A Real Christian Businessman knows we need to follow what Jesus taught us about taking time to ourselves to relax and pray. So take some time this week to unplug. Go somewhere and pray. Relax. Reflect. Use 2020 as an example of how NOT to run at full throttle all the time and set yourself up in 2021 to have a balance between work and recharging and praying so that you don’t run yourself down and become useless to no one.
The example is there for us.
Let’s both resolve to make it a habit in our lives in 2021.