Stop, Stop, Stop

“I am so busy, busy, busy”, “I am so tired, tired, tired”. It is a common response from people when I ask them how they are. We wear it like a badge. 

Even at a conference I was at recently, the person on my right was constantly sending emails during the presentation, the person on my left was constantly scrolling social media. And when we had to turn to the person beside us and ask for prayer points, the person said, “I have so much I am going home to, it is stressing me out. How I am going to manage it?” 

I wanted to simply say STOP, STOP, STOP.

There was a time when going away to a conference was an opportunity to get out of your normal space, breathe and be refilled. I felt exhausted just reading the schedule. There was not one free space. This Protestant work ethic is crippling people everywhere and we are missing the main purpose of life.

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and all the rest will follow.”[1]

For the past 12 months at Hope’s View we have been seeking and opening up our beautiful space for people to take time out with God, to STOP, STOP, STOP. To renew, refresh, restore.  But very few have taken that offer up. Many have spoken to me with fear and trembling, imagining what time with God could possibly look like, and with a fear of being quiet and still.

It's no longer the badge we wear, to be holy, to be centred, to be still with God. Instead, it is how much we have done for Jesus.

It seems that we have translated, “Seeking His kingdom” in a way that is all about consumerism, productivity and measurable achievement.  I believe we are called to be active, but in a different way. Speaking as one who is very active, I understand the need to achieve. However, I wonder what being active in seeking Him, knowing Him and being known by Him could do for our busy, tired selves.  And yet this seems to be the most scary of journeys for Christians to take. We are happier with sitting on a Sunday and being told by someone else what to think and feel and then getting on the with the day-to-day rat race of life.

I am sounding life a winging prophet, but it feels like I constantly begin every conversation with people learning how busy and stressed their life is. It saddens me and I don’t want to placate it anymore. Language makes a difference, our self-talk matters. What are we saying to ourselves when we are constantly happy to boast of our busyness?

For a long time my response has been, ‘I don’t believe in busy, my life is full of good things’, in order to try and change the language or help others consider what they are saying, but I don’t think it makes a difference as they proudly sprout about their hectic and stressed out life.

So, when the second commandant is to make Sabbath a day that is Holy, it is like something most people can hardly imagine is possible. It was important for God, as even He rested in the 7th day, but not good enough for us. Or is it the only commandment we are happy to brag about breaking ? We are so busy that taking significant time to rest, especially in Him, is just not a priority.

John Mark Comer says the Sabbath “is the only spiritual discipline that is scheduled by God, not by your felt need or by your community, but built into the fabric of creation.”

Studies show that those people who do practice a Sabbath rhythm, add 11 years to their life. Now imagine what you could achieve with 11 more years? It is the principle of needing to STOP, so you can go.  Not just resting and having a holiday but intentionally spending time with God and community (for sabbath is always talked about in the context of family and community). To seek Him, not just consume Him or attend a place that talks about Him or tick the box of doing church. Sabbath is so much more than the nice package we now call ‘church’.  For so many Christians, Sunday is the busiest day of their week. This rhythm is crazy and I don’t believe it was God’s plan.

But who I am I to say that?  Let’s just STOP and consider His  word …

“If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don’t use my holy day for personal advantage,If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy,    

God’s holy day as a celebration,If you honor it by refusing ‘business as usual,’    

making money, running here and there—Then you’ll be free to enjoy God!    

Oh, I’ll make you ride high and soar above it all.I’ll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob.”    

Yes! God says so!  

(Is 58:13-14 MSG)

I wonder what life might look like if we took this seriously?

[1] Matthew 6:33