I am Burning Out - Could Ancient Religious Practice Hold the Cure?

Nov 4

Don’t you love how slow-paced our world is? How nobody's ever in a hurry? How happy everyone is waiting in long lines?

If you caught that sarcasm, you know the reality: We live in a fast-paced, restless, dissatisfied world. There's always something better to pursue, always something more that might finally make our lives complete. When someone asks how we're doing, we often either pride ourselves on being busy or complain about it. "You wouldn't believe my week - I had to do this, this, and this!"

The world offers many temporary solutions for finding rest. Just buy this product, visit this place, try this experience - then you'll be complete. While God has given us many good things that can bring temporary satisfaction, none of it matters if we don't have rest for our souls.

Let's talk about something we don't often discuss in the American church: the Sabbath. Whether you're working hard to provide for your family, raising children, studying in school, or juggling multiple responsibilities, it can be incredibly difficult to slow down and rest. But here's the good news: all of us, no matter our age or life stage, can find true rest in Christ when we remember these three important truths.

Understanding the Sabbath

First, let's understand what "Sabbath" means. The word comes from "Shabbat," which means to stop, cease, rest, delight, and worship. We first see it in creation - after six days of creating everything, Genesis 2:1-3 tells us that God rested on the seventh day and made it holy. God didn't rest because He was tired - He established a pattern of work and rest for us as humans.

Later, in Exodus 20:8-11, God gave the Sabbath commandment to Israel: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor...but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God." Every seventh day was meant to help people remember that God is their ultimate provider and protector.

Three Truths for Finding Rest

1. We can rest because God doesn't need to

Psalm 121:4 reminds us that "he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep." Our God never grows tired or weary (Isaiah 40:28) but He designed us to need sleep. About one-third of our lives is spent sleeping! This shows our dependence on God, who keeps working even when we physically cannot.

Jesus invites us in John 15:4: "Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." We can either work restlessly and feel guilty about not making time for God, or we can stop first, recognize our need for God, and let our work flow from that relationship.

2. We can rest because this world's work is temporary

Sometimes we need to step back and remember - the world will keep spinning whether we rest or not. In Romans 8:18-25, Paul reminds us that our present struggles aren't worth comparing to the glory that's coming. This doesn't mean our work doesn't matter - Christians should absolutely be excellent workers! But our work shouldn't consume us.

Jesus says in John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." Without Jesus, we can accomplish nothing of eternal value. Each day, we must choose: Will our work consume us, or will we abide in Christ and let our work flow from that connection?

3. We can rest because our salvation is complete

Perhaps the most beautiful truth is found in Ephesians 2:8-9: "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Our salvation doesn't depend on our work or on hoping our good deeds outweigh our bad ones. When Jesus said, "It is finished," on the cross, He meant it.

As Romans 8:38-39 assures us, nothing "will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Because our salvation is secure, we can truly rest.

Finding Rest for Your Soul

Jesus offers a beautiful invitation in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

If you're looking for rest for your restless soul, you won't find it in the world - not on vacation, not in your next purchase, not even in waiting for an easier season of life.

True rest comes through turning to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life.

Consider this: How is your soul? When was the last time it truly felt at rest? What would it look like to adopt a regular practice of Sabbath in your life? It's not so much that we can't afford to take time for Sabbath - we can't afford not to.

Remember these three truths: