First Things First
By Grant Gaines
Some people just love their jobs so much that if they never earned a single penny for all of their efforts, they would die happy. Most people, however, don’t share that sentiment.
A recent study discovered that 53% of Americans reportedly feel “burned out” by their job and 70% of employees regularly dream about having a different job1. The survey reported that 28% of Americans say that they feel overworked and 29% say they never feel like they have time to reflect on the work they just completed. Bottom line: work can often be exhausting, frustrating, and deflating.
With all of the burnout and weariness that is so rampant across our county, can I teach you how to avoid becoming a part of those statistics this year? It’s actually no trick or idea that I came up with myself. Instead, it finds its roots wayyyy back in the very first two chapters of the Bible.
In Genesis 1, God created the heavens and the earth in five days and then saved the best for last by creating man-His prized possession-in His image (Genesis 1:26-27) on day six. It must have been an exciting time to be Adam, the first man, on that first day he was alive. There was so much to look at, so many new places he must have wanted to explore, and so many things he must have wanted to do with his Creator.
But do you know what Adam did on the very first full day he was on planet earth? He rested with God. You’re not going to find that written anywhere explicitly in Scripture but I think it’s safe to say that if God is the only other “person” you can interact with in those days, whatever He did, you would do as well. And we know for a fact that God rested on day seven (Genesis 2:2-3), so we can safely assume that while God was resting from all of His creating, Adam must have followed suite.
Think about that for a moment. The very first thing Adam did was not build a city, name the animals, or play Halo with the angels, the first thing he did was rest.
I think we could learn a lot from the blueprint that God laid out for us as we storm into this New Year. Rather than worrying so much about what needs to get done and what goals need to be achieved, maybe we should be more concerned with how and when we will make time to take a “Sabbath rest” where we get alone with God.
I’ve heard it described like this: in order to avoid burnout and exhaustion you need to divert daily, withdraw weekly, and abandon annually.
Let me explain. Every day you need to set aside some time when you put down your phone, iPad, or turn off the TV and get some time to talk to and listen to God. This doesn’t necessarily have to be at a desk with your Bible open (though it could certainly include that). I know I personally love going on runs or walks without an iPod and just talking with God and enjoying nature. This daily divergence gives our minds, bodies, and souls and opportunity to unwind from the busy day.
Secondly, we should withdraw weekly. This is similar to the “divert daily” step but this break has a longer lifespan. While a daily divergence can last as short as 10-15 minutes, a weekly withdrawal should be at least half a day. In this weekly withdrawal, it is nice to once again turn off your electronic devices and either spend some time alone or with your loved ones just enjoying life by going to the park, playing a game, or going on a date with your spouse. This weekly withdrawal gives you something to look forward to when the midweek grind is starting to take its toll on you.
Finally you have your annual abandonment. This is where you take some time off work to go on a vacation by yourself, with your family, or with your friends. This allows you to get away from the normal activities of your crowded life and be given a fresh new spirit of appreciation for all the blessings God has granted you. An annual escape is more than a vacation-it’s a refreshing splash of cold water on the vitality of your soul.
I think we would be amazed at how much God really wants to talk to us, minister to us, and use us when we take the time to listen to and be alone with Him. He gave us the blueprint for how to start things off way back at the beginning of all creation in Genesis 1-2 and I believe we would be wise to continue to walk in those ways.
So as the New Year kicks off and you begin to dream up all the things you want to accomplish this year, why don’t you do yourself a favor and schedule in time to divert daily, withdraw weekly, and abandon annually.
How will you get alone with God this year?
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
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©Grant Gaines 2013
