Did you catch that? I mean, seriously… Did you actually see what God is saying there? He’s pointing out that if you don’t take the Sabbath, the Sabbath will take you.
That’s what happened to me. It’s what happens to so many other leaders.
Israel never celebrated the Jubilee, so God said “I’ll make you take it—you’ll be invaded, and against your will, you’ll be in exile for 70 years. There’s your Sabbath. There’s your Jubilee.”
I wonder if burn out and stress leave are the modern equivalents of exile.
Doing God’s work your way ultimately makes you lose your way.
How Will You Relax This Summer?
So here’s my question: How will you unplug this summer?
My deep-seated fear for years was that if I slowed down, I’d give into laziness. Honestly, I still fear that sometimes, even though it’s totally irrational. I’m not that lazy, but I fear I might be.
What I’m sharing with you in this post is not a blank cheque for laziness. This isn’t about counting your 37.58 hours down the minute to make sure you’ve got what’s coming to you. Not at all.
But it is about realizing that ministry happens deepest and most profoundly when you pursue God’s work using God’s ways and not your own. You end up accomplishing more in every sphere of your life.
When I started, I wanted to run this marathon like it was a sprint. I still sprint in seasons, but I’ve come squarely to terms with the truth that this is a marathon. A marathon God actually even intends us to enjoy.
This article originally appeared here.
