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

Jesus can be your Therapist

 Many pious Muslims live under the storm clouds of fear. They never know whether their submission will be enough to save them from the flames of hell.

Some compare themselves to not-so-virtuous nominal Christians and they feel proud and superior.

Others compare themselves to extremely religious Muslims and they judge themselves as failures.

Then they can become extremely fanatical because they can never be sure whether their religious virtue is enough to save them from hell.

Unfortunately, there are also some Christians who live in such a religious no-man's land.

There are Christians who are trapped in pornography addiction. They feel helpless to escape from slavery and are full of fear of God's judgement.

There are other Christians who believe in Jesus, but they have never realised that they can only receive their salvation as a gift from God. They live just like Muslims, with the belief that they must earn their salvation.

If you think like that, you can become very strictly religious and look down on Christians who are not so strictly virtuous. That's exactly how the Pharisees were.

Or you can judge yourself as inferior because you fail again and again.

If you are addicted to porn or gambling, you urgently need help, from God but also from understanding people.

Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. Jas 5:16 NRSV

Many Christians need deliverance from demons and many need good counselling or a good therapist.

Jesus did not come to burden us with guilt complexes. On the contrary.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. Jn 10:10 NRSV

Such a life is only possible in close fellowship with God. God is love. Only those who experience God's love on a daily basis have access to this abundant life.

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

How do these morbid religious attitudes arise, whereby legalism, pride or guilt complexes keep us away from the love of God?

Legalistic religion, tradition, inflexible or manipulative parents or pastors, fastidious moralistic culture.

Sin, perversion, abuse, shame.

I know Christians who were molested or abused as children. That can lead to all kinds of feelings and thoughts, all kinds of wrong turns in life, so that we are full of shame.

If you can't get rid of wrong thoughts and feelings, you must know that Jesus loves you unconditionally. Let Jesus be your therapist. He wants to help you and not judge you.

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

Help for Broken Hearts

 Only Jesus understands the wounds in your soul. Only God can heal your heart. Jesus was despised as a child and subjected to the mockery of his neighbours because he was conceived before his parents' wedding.

Did Mary and Joseph explain to everyone that God was the real father of their son? Imagine if someone said something like that. Today they might end up in a mental hospital.

When the shepherds visited the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem, they worshipped God's Son. For Mary, this was a confirmation of the revelation given to her by God, but she did not share her thoughts with others, except perhaps Joseph.

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Lk 2:19 NIV

Are you often misunderstood? From an early age, Jesus was misunderstood and disregarded. You need help, but please be careful. Not everyone can understand you or help you.

Maybe you go to a devout Bible believing church. They teach that the psychology of emotional disorders is all worldly heresy. The cause of all your problems is simply your sin.

Is that true? Jesus must have suffered a lot even though he had no sin.

Our hurts and disorders can come from our own sins, but they can also often come from abuse you have experienced, that is, from the sins of others, sins against you.

None of us is without sin. Even the Christians who want to advise you.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 Jn 1:8–9 NRSV

But it is useless to confess and change only our outward actions if our offences come from a depraved or wounded soul.

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Gal 6:1 NIV

Anyone who rebukes someone with gentleness must understand that only God can heal a wounded soul. Only God can heal a corrupt heart.

Jesus had difficult problems with the Pharisees. The Pharisees were legalistic. They focused on outward behaviour instead of understanding that God cares about our heart and soul first.

Many strict Christians today make similar mistakes. They torment weak Christians with harsh criticism or they torment themselves with guilt complexes.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Mt 23:25–26 NIV

If you need counselling or therapy and your church only talks about rules and Bible texts, you must seek help elsewhere.

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Ps 147:3 NIV

We need time out

 Some years ago I went to church twice every Sunday, but I felt guilty. I went to church three times a week, but I only visited my elderly father once a month.

For many Christians, holidays and meetings have become a tiring occupation. You can keep the Sabbath strictly, but never relax.

For some Christians, relaxation is a sin. They must always make an effort to do something good and necessary, always make an effort. Doing nothing would be idleness. Sleeping late means being lazy.

But if you are overwhelmed, traumatised, even exhausted, you need real time out. 

Otherwise, you could end up in hospital. For some, that seems like a great shame, but this shame is not helpful.

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

Sure, but if our wrong Christian attitude has only continually involved us in duty and effort, and if we find little support or understanding in the church, then God provides us with other resources.

There are Christians who are misguided 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 counsellors and for miraculous healings! 

But I also thank God for good clinics, good doctors and good treatment.  

To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: Ec 3:1 NKJV

Work, prayer, study, practical charity: there is a right time for everything, but there is also a time when doing nothing and thinking are vital.

I find rest in God; only he can save me. Ps 62:1 NCV