Just Relax Already! Geez!

So, it's been a while since I've blogged. I know one of the primary tenets of blogging is consistency, but when you're writing and reporting constantly, a college student who lives off-campus, dedicated to ministry and trying to avoid stress, some things end up being neglected.

That's what brings me to my newest treatise (just a joke, of course). Really, this feels like a random spool of thoughts, but where better to spool?

Busyness is never a good thing. If there's one common theme that's permeated my blog is that I've battled with a "busy spirit" for a while now.

Something in me can't stand not doing anything. If I'm sitting down in my apartment, with nothing to do but relax, my entire being becomes shaken.

I get jittery.

I look for things to do.

I actually experience "relaxer's guilt," bringing about my own feelings of worthlessness, laziness and conviction from not overwhelming myself with "meaningful" tasks.

About two days ago, I took some time to scour the blogs of The Gaston Gazette's reporters. One of them, Amanda Memrick, was a featured panelist at the CAABJ Student Forum I and several other NABJ members attended last October.

As I was reading through Memrick's posts, I came upon one where she described her own busyness. She chronicled her efforts not to check her SmartPhone, check her e-mail or think about the stories for the week that needed to be written.

She actually tried to enjoy her weekend off.

She credited technology for the world's preoccupation with work.

I think she has a point.

Once upon a time, leisure was a very important part of life.

Let's look at God's command to the Israelites that they take the seventh day of the week to do no work.

Instead, they were to relax.

All cooking, cleaning and any other sort of preparation needed to be taken care of the day before the Sabbath.

If anyone was found working on the Sabbath, they would die.

Of course, Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law so that we no longer have to live by the many rules and regulations one can find throughout Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Still, I firmly believe Jesus wants us to relax.

Why?

Because it brings much-needed refreshment and rejuvenation.

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"~ Matthew 28:11

"Be still and know that I am God"~ Psalm 46:10

"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him..."~ Psalm 37:7 (some translations say, "Rest in the Lord...")

These are only three scriptures to illustrate the importance of rest.

Are we commissioned to go into all the world and seek the lost? Yes

Are we given a very important work? Yes indeed

Is the harvest right, but the workers few? Yuppers.

Does that mean we should all burn ourselves out and wear our bodies out until we're ineffective ourselves and, not only do we not enjoy life, but we no longer enjoy Christ or ministry? I don't think so.

As the Israelites traveled through the wilderness, Moses acted as the people's holy liaison to God--he was their access point to the Almighty.

Several times, Moses had to intercede for the people after they disobeyed one of God's commands and were two seconds away from experiencing the totality of His unbridled wrath.

In Exodus 18, after the Israelites have just defeated the Amelakites (OT prototypes for the flesh), Moses sat as a judge for the people, settling their disputes and providing for their needs.

His father-in-law Jethro had come to visit him and was a bit disturbed at what he witnessed. Moses was doing all the work!

Jethro, in not so many words, told Moses that the burden would be too heavy for him--instead he needed to delegate responsibilities so that the work did not overwhelm him or anyone else (paraphrase of Exodus 18:13-23).

Similarly, in Acts, as the Early Church began to undergo its initial formation, the Hellenists (Greeks/Gentiles) began to complain that their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.

The disciples though were on fire (figuratively, yet literally). The Holy Spirit had just come at Pentecost and true evangelism began.

But, how could the disciples preach the Gospel, make and mentor disciples, watch over the church, take care of the widows, etc.?

Though they were given divine power by God, they were still human.

Thus, the 12 (not including Judas, but including Matthias) gathered together and chose seven men from among their number to serve as overseers of the people (this is where we get our duties of the office of the deacon--Acts 6:1-7; 1 Timothy 3:8-13).

The point is, no man is an island.

None of us can do it alone, and it makes no sense to try. What we could do instead is overwhelm ourselves with so many jobs, tasks and responsibilities that we miss out on what God truly wants for us and others.

Let's remember Mary and Martha, who while hosting Jesus at their home, took on two separate roles.

While Martha was the busy-bee taking care of the household business, Mary stayed at the feet of Jesus--speaking with Him and spending time in His awesome presence.

Sometimes, we just need to stop the hustle and kneel at Jesus' feet. There are things He wants to tell us, but we won't hear unless we're as attentive as Samuel (1 Samuel 3; Luke 10:38-41). Once Samuel stopped and listened, God began to reveal himself at Shiloh, after there had been no revelation for years.

Personally, I want to hear from the Lord. There seemed to be a time where I could hear Him so clearly, but then I became so preoccupied. First, it started with two jobs, then a heavy work load with school and The Johnsonian and now I find myself in a cycle.

I'm sick of the cycle and I'm ready for change.

Yes, we have to work. We can't take relaxation as an excuse for being lazy--because that also brings about ineffectiveness.

But, we can't work ourselves to the ground till the point we lose all heart. Before we know it, we'll grow weary in well-doing and faint. Like the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2, we'll forget our first love and just continue to do good work.

Good work is great and all, but I rather be with Jesus; I rather be in His presence--flawed and all--than attempt to be a perfectionist workaholic that feels heavy on the inside.

"Therefore, my beloved, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that in the Lord your labor is not in vain"~ 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NRSV).