Shutting Down

One of the hardest things for me to do personally is to shut down from the daily grind of work and to try to relax and enjoy time for my family, others, and myself.  There's just too much to get done and so little time to get it done.  I feel a strong sense of commitment towards others at the expense of taking care of my family and myself.  Taking personal time to refresh can create a sense of  guilt.  How well do you do this?  I understand that we can boast about our hard work ethic but I'm not so sure God intended for us not to rest since He created the Sabbath. 

The Sabbath was created for physical rest and for God's people to worship and focus on Him.  Some people feel compelled to work seven days a week believing it is necessary to make ends meet.  Some never take personal time or vacation time even when an employer provides it.   Most jobs will take all the time that you give them and the work never goes away.  It becomes necessary to learn to say no towards things we really don't have any more time for.  Shutting down is necessary for personal renewal.  Time alone to reflect, to pray, to read God's Word, and just to listen to what God wants us to hear is needed. The psalmist said it well, "Be still and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

This past vacation I was blessed to read three books--and I didn't finish any of them (I plan to finish them) but they refreshed my soul.  They were the Bible, Understanding Biblical Theology, and a book called Deep Preaching.  I allowed God's Spirit to breath life into me and to refresh me through His Word and the writings of others.  My wife truly enjoyed being the focus of my time as well.  Over the past four years I've truly enjoyed riding my motorcycle with my wife and even alone as a way to enjoy what God has created around me and to hear from Him.  It gives me time to ponder and consider what God is teaching me in life.  It also gives me time to reprioritize what the most important things are in this short life for God's glory.

When was the last time that you decided to shut down for a day or for a week?