Reflection
The Need for Less Speed

Why Take a Sabbatical?

Sunday June 11, 2023 - Pastor Richard Reaves

Psalm 46:10

He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Key Thought

Those who have succumbed to "Hurry Sickness" are not able to hear and respond to the voice of God. On the other hand, maturing disciples of Jesus are consciously slowing the pace of their lives, staying in touch with the Spirit, reflecting on His presence and power.

Introduction

One person's testimony

Dr. Richard Swenson concerning our lack of margin from his book Margin,

"Seldom have we been so stressed, so alone, and so exhausted in spirit. When we are emotionally resilient, we can confront our problems with a sense of hope and power. When our psychic reserves are depleted, however, we are seriously weakened. Emotional overload saps our strength, paralyzes our resolve, and maximizes our vulnerability, leaving the door open for even further margin erosion."

"Hurry Sickness"

Just how much has this increased pace has interjected itself into our lives? Think about the verbiage we use these days which reveals our increased pace of living.

Alan Fadling in his book An Unhurried Life points out our distaste for anything slow:

This bent toward speed is supported by our very language. Just take a minute to look up the word slow in your dictionary. Notice how many of the definitions are negative in tone. My Microsoft Word dictionary offers the following as the first three meanings for the adjective slow: "sluggish," "time-consuming" and "stupid."

This headlong rush leaves us exhausted and disoriented. Hurry Sickness leaves no space for rest, for margin, for renewal. And it is destroying us.

Sabbatical Taking Slows us down

How then to combat "Hurry Sickness?" Sabbath Keeping is the key answer. We must set aside time and space to consciously slow the pace.

We must individually take Sabbaticals for our own health and well-being.

SCFBC is wise to grant Pastors Valui and Margareth a time of Sabbatical renewal.

How do we slow the pace?

Here are three prescriptions which will help cure this life-destroying disease and bring health and wholeness back into our lives.

Check the condition of your heart often

The condition of our heart is rather critical to our survival. And yet, many of us don't live the kind of lifestyles that promote good heart health. How much more critical is the lack of attention we give to the condition of our spiritual heart- our soul which will live forever.

We need to wake up each morning and ask the question Jonathan Wesley would ask when he greeted you, "And how is it with your soul?" Maybe the answer would be, "It's time for a sabbatical break."

Repent of the pride of busyness

Mayo Gibson has written, "We point to our lack of time with a certain pride, as if that lack has something to do with our importance as a person."

We don't see God wanting us to be overly busy people. It's time to repent!

Jesus realized the corrosive nature of a rushed lifestyle and chose to walk a different path.

Consciously slow the pace of your life

An illustration from John Ortberg

Carl Jung once wrote, "Hurry is not of the devil; hurry is the devil."

We feel the need for less speed

And this only comes as we slow the pace and listen to the guidance of our heavenly Father. We need to reflect on what Martin Luther once stated in his journal, "I have so much to do today that I must spend the first three hours in prayer."