Do you ever use your phone until there is no more battery left? I have the tendency to work from my phone until it hits 20% and it warns me to set it to “Low Power Mode” where it will try to reserve the little energy left in my battery. If I can, I put the phone on the charger until it hits about 35-40%, then I go right back to working on it again. Unfortunately, I think this is the way that many women live their lives. Some of us probably don’t remember the last time we were truly at 100%. We work and work until we’re just…empty. When we finally make time to rest, it is only enough to get us back to about 35-40% at best. My hope is that you will recognize that it is important to value and protect your recharge time. God wants to fill us up so that we can give our best to those around us. When we choose to honor God and break away from our work, we allow Him to refresh us for the other 6 days. Here are a few tips to consider as you begin to make rest a part of your everyday life.
“You have six days each week for your ordinary work, but the seventh day must be a Sabbath day of complete rest, a holy day dedicated to the Lord…For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day he stopped working and was refreshed.” Exodus 31:15, 17b NLT
- Disconnect to Connect
Often times, we might say we’re taking time off but are we really disconnecting enough from all that is happening to truly recharge. It is so tempting to take a quick look at emails, check out social media, or even finish that one thing you left undone with work. We cannot continue to allow work to creep into our day of cessation and rob us of the recharge we need from our Heavenly Father. For many of us, work is right in our purse or in our back pockets. Even if you can’t turn your phone off completely, at least just turn off the email notifications for the day. Friend, I promise you it can wait. When we choose to honor God with a day of ceasing from all work, we express our dependence and trust in Him and give Him the chance to bless our efforts and work for the other 6 days.
- Communicate to Others
One of the most frustrating things when trying to Sabbath is people who still contact me about work-related things during my time off. Working in ministry, I have learned that ministry never stops, but work still can. If people are contacting you about anything that can obviously wait until you’re back in the office, then consider communicating your expectations during your planned time to rest. This might even require some hard conversations with others, but you have to do what is necessary to ensure that you’re not working out of “low power mode” when the work can wait until you’re back at 100% to make it happen.
- Honor Other’s Recharge Time
Be sure to honor others when they have communicated the times they Sabbath. I typically just send an email about it, and I know they will get back to me when they are back working. If it is someone who is still learning the art of Sabbath and may be more tempted to respond if they see an email from you, just write a draft or note to yourself to send it the next day. Be sure to plan ahead as well so that everything you need is taken care of before they leave the office. This way, you are able to honor your fellow workers on their day of rest.
God needs usable vessels to complete His work on this earth. He needs us fully engaged with our family and those who need hope in Christ. We can all avoid “the crash” when we rest from working and allow the Spirit of God to fill us up to 100%.
Generation Eve
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Photo Credit: Eder Oliveira
Bria Gilmore
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