Five Signs You Need a Break by Lisa Burkhardt Worley
Have you ever felt an overwhelming need to get away from it all?
I believe that pull you feel on your soul might be a pull from God to take a break, especially if you aren’t diligent about taking a Sabbath rest each week.
With a conference approaching and other work deadlines, I was guilty of shortchanging intentional rest. I’d take a half-day off, then start working again. There was so much to do! However, not resting goes against one of the ten commandments: “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God.” When we disregard this commandment, our Maker will allow life to get tougher. Here are five signs you need to take an extended break:
- Everyday tasks seem more taxing than usual. (You feel overwhelmed!)
- You don’t sleep well because you have too many details swirling in your brain.
- You become edgy with others.
- You feel like you are always pushing to get things accomplished.
- You don’t have time for the relationships in your life.
Can you relate? I was experiencing all of the above and had been feeling an urgency to disconnect. The place I do it best is the beach, where I am right now. There is something calming and healing about the ocean, or in my case, the Gulf of Mexico—the waves crashing against the shoreline, the birds, and the salt air. It’s a place to sleep in, enjoy the view and spend time with family, so after eight hours of sleep last night, I am refueled and now reflecting, as I feel I hear the voice of God more clearly in this place.
Even Jesus took breaks. When his and the disciples’ work became so busy that they didn’t even have a chance to eat, he said to them: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Matthew 6:31).
Are you hanging on by a thread?
Do you feel like you need rest?
Then it’s time to put the work and trouble aside. Find a place where you can simply breathe for an extended period of time.
Rest.
“Oh that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest” (Psalm 55:6).