We Need Time Off

 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mk 6:31 NIV

We are under so much pressure, so overwhelmed. That's just how it is in this life.

In the Old Testament, God prescribed many days of rest, but even holy days can put pressure on us.

A world-renowned church leader in the Pentecostal movement had founded a church that simply grew massively and planted a network of missions around the world.

But not everything in his life was okay. His wife was overwhelmed and his marriage fell apart. 

God spoke to the preacher. He needed to have one day of rest per week and rebuild his relationship with his wife. Sunday was not a day of rest for him, and on Saturday he had to prepare everything for Sunday. 

Monday became his day of rest, and his marriage was restored.

Some insist that we must strictly obey the Sabbath commandment to this day, but this is by no means clear in the Holy Scriptures.

Paul and John wrote several epistles to non-Jewish Christians, and I find no mention of the Sabbath commandment in them at all. Theft, murder, lying, idolatry, adultery, and greed are strictly forbidden in these epistles, but there is no mention of the Sabbath commandment. 

Of course, the Sabbath came from God, and the Sabbath remains a great blessing for many Jews and some Christians to this day.
 
But more important than the day is the principle. We need time off, time off for God, time off for family and friends, and time off for relaxation and rest.
 

You can strictly observe the Sabbath but neglect important loving relationships.

About ten years ago, I was very active in a church and attended two services every Sunday, but I had a guilty conscience. I was in church three times a week, but I didn't even visit my elderly father once a week. 

For many Christians, church services and meetings can be anything but restful, although they are intended to be refreshing. You can strictly observe the Sabbath, but never learn to simply relax. 

For some Christians, relaxation is a sin. They are always busy. Doing nothing would be idleness. Sleeping late means being lazy. 

But if you are overwhelmed, traumatised, even exhausted, you need real time off.
 
Otherwise, you could get burned out or even in hospital. Some people think this is shameful, but it is not.

If you need help and rest, you need help and rest.
But shouldn't we expect our help only from God?

Sure, but if our misguided Christian attitude has only continually entangled us in duty and effort, and if we find little support or understanding in the church, then God provides us with other means of help. 

There are Christians who are misled by non-believing therapists, but there are also Christians who find more understanding and help in psychiatry than in the church. 

Thank God for good churches, good pastors, and miraculous healings! 
But I also thank God for good doctors, and good therapists.
 
In God's order, everything has its time. (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecc 3:1 NIV

Burnout. Destress with Jesus

 Are you a free person or a slave? Not only third world labourers or trafficked prostitutes are enslaved.

A manager who has no life apart from his work has no freedom. How many exhausted businessmen or doctors retire and die soon after?

There are also busy housewives who never stop doing everything for their family. Their children may be emotionally neglected because their mother is busy with domestic duties all the time.

There are also devout Christians who are enslaved by their religion.
In the Ten Commandments, we read that one day of every week should be a holy day. We need time off and rest, but there are Christians who are enslaved by Saturday or Sunday duties.

A well-known preacher built up a large church with God's help. Many Christians were blessed and countless people came to faith.

The preacher was involved in his ministry every day. He was particularly busy on Saturday and Sunday. He knew that he could not do everything in his own strength, and he prayed a lot. He refuelled himself daily and was filled with the Holy Spirit.

But not everything was all right. His wife became very unhappy, and his marriage began to falter.

He was a good Christian, and he asked for God's help. God showed him that he should have a day of rest every Monday and restore his relationship with his wife.

A few years ago, I worked as a language teacher and was also active in the church. I went to church twice every Sunday. I drove a minibus on Sunday mornings and I sometimes preached in the evening.

But my father was very old and I only visited him once a month. Then I realised that I had neglected my father.

We need balance. Even Christian discipleship can become slavery.

The Pharisees were chained to their religion, and so can we be.

Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!”

Jesus replied, “And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?
For God said, ‘Honour your father and mother’ and ‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death.’

But you say that if anyone declares that what might have been used to help their father or mother is ‘devoted to God,’
they are not to ‘honour their father or mother’ with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. Mt 15:1–6 NIV

We need balance and relaxation.

I graduated from university over 50 years ago. I was looking for a change and worked as a taxi driver for a year. We need variety and relaxation. Before the Covid pandemic, many young Europeans travelled to Australia and worked in restaurants or on wineries.

If you have a good car, you don't have to buy a new car often. Many cars stay in good condition for ten years. But a car that is used as a taxi around the clock will break down after a few years.

Many preachers are overworked in ministry, and many suffer from burnout. German culture is very duty-orientated, and many Germans suffer from burnout.

Do you feel like you're on a treadmill? Can't you escape your duties? Many suffer like this, even the few minutes of supposed free time are poisoned by worries and anxieties.

You urgently need a holiday. Your Christian conscience teaches you to pray, but where do you find the time to pray? Even prayer becomes a duty and work.

Jesus is calling you.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28 NASB95

Jesus can help you with your worries. He can give you insight so that you understand which supposed duties are not necessary.

When you going through life with God's love, you can often enjoy a few minutes of downtime. Instead of thinking about your worries and duties all the time, you can indulge in a sweet daydream.

Christian Workaholics

Are you a burned out workaholic, a slave to duty?

Are you addicted to success at any price?

Are you driven to be a good Christian, trying so hard but never feeling you are good enough?

Are you exhausted by striving?

A Japanese office worker was extremely hardworking. Whatever his assignments were he had to complete them all, whatever the cost.

After working hard for over 24 hours without a break, he dropped dead.

An admirable itinerant preacher in India lived with unlimited dedication. He wanted to live just like Jesus, at any cost. He once tried to fast for 40 days and almost died.

When the Holy Spirit calls you to fast, he gives grace, but if you try to fast because of holy striving, it can cause great harm. It can lead to neurosis and eating disorders.

A young American was a totally dedicated Christian. He attended church at least four times a week. He served as a leader in the youth group. He read a few chapters of the Bible every day and prayed dutifully every morning and every evening.

His whole life revolved around his Christian discipleship, but he still felt dry and weary in his soul.

Finally, he could no longer bear this religious treadmill. He still believed in God, but he gave up. He hardly prayed for a few days. He didn't read his Bible, only the newspaper.

One morning he was sitting at breakfast reading the newspaper. Suddenly the Holy Spirit fell upon him. In the midst of his religious activities, he had neglected the most important thing. He had never learnt to simply receive and enjoy the unconditional love of God.

When Jesus was an itinerant preacher, all kinds of Jews came to him. There were sinful apostate Jews and also very diligent religious Jews. Both were stressed and spiritually tired.

Jesus recognised their stress and their inner exhaustion. He also sees your stress. His words to the Jews still speak to us today.

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Mt 11:28 NASB95