On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.
Genesis 2:2-3 NLT
Here in St Cuthbert’s Oratory, we have established healing rhythms for our daily life. I have a tendency towards overcomiting. This can mean I have more work than hours in the day. The internal stress this generates is punishing. This stress has a physical as well as a psychological and emotional impact. In short, I function badly and fail to operate out of rest. I lose touch with the immediate presence of God. Tasks are accomplished, but seasoned with the sweat of anxiety rather than the grace and peace of God.
Jayne manages a chronic pain condition. My work rate can at times cause her to feel she isn’t pulling her weight. I never communicate that, nor believe it, yet she can push herself in response to this and so ends up in greater pain, more disabled than she needs to be.
We all have to learn God’s rhythm for our life. This ensures we have the recovery time we need. The physiology of rest helps an athlete know how to ensure that the strain that intensive training brings to their physical body is offered time and space to recover naturally. As spiritual beings, we need to ensure when we push ourselves, that we are creating sufficient time and space for spiritual renewal and recovery.
I learned in my platform ministry that to lead and speak at a meeting took a toll on my spiritual resources. One reason I ran out of road in my late 20s was that I failed to nurture and nourish my spirit within. God deliberately rested on the seventh day of creation. Here a rhythm was established, the Sabbath principle.
QUESTION
What rhythm could you establish that would bring space for renewal?
PRAYER
Help me to be the person you want me to be. Guide me into care and discipline of my days and weeks so that my body, soul and spirit is the best that it can be.
Image-1-15.png