Sabbath Sundays allow us to slow down, to worship the Lord, to rest, to reflect, and to connect with God, with our loved ones, and with ourselves. I’m exhausted today, but I don’t think it’s from the time change. I think it’s because I need to change. I believe God is calling me to say “yes” to His next adventure. I just don’t know what it is yet! I’ve asked Him to open and to close doors according to His will. But sometimes I feel like I should be doing more. I’ve opened up more time and space in my life to have the freedom for God’s Spirit to blow me where He wants to send me. I don’t think it’s wrong to want to do more. But wanting to do more for Christ can steal my peace, contentment, and joy.
If you take some time today to reflect on your life, what you’ve said “yes” to and “no” to has defined your life. Your days, your nights, your schedule, and your rhythms eventually get organized around your boundaries. Who gets your time, how much energy you spend, and how you use your talents and your resources can be traced back to whom or to what you’ve said “yes.” Your “no’s” protect you from overinvesting yourself and from getting sucked into sins and relationships that could wreck your life. If we go for a Sabbath walk together, and we explore your recent investments, ask yourself: How much of my time do I spend…
- worrying about things that I cannot control?
- thinking about the bad things that have happened to me?
- praying and dreaming about a better life but don’t do anything to create it?
- giving thanks to God?
- doing what I don’t like to do?
- doing what I love to do?
- with my family each day without technology?
- connecting with my friends?
- praying and studying and reflecting on God’s Word?
- with people who need Jesus?
- with people who challenge and strengthen me?
- relaxing and sleeping?
- exercising?
Change will result when you begin to say “yes” to what you’ve said “no” to and when you begin to say “no” to what you’ve been saying “yes” to. This makes changing sound very simple, but it’s not. As soon as you begin to set boundaries and to make changes, a few people will think it’s great, but many people will begin to challenge and confront and manipulate you into going back to what you’ve always been doing because it benefits them more than it benefits you. If you’re honest, you also benefit from what you’re doing now too. Change can be exciting, but it can also be scary. Making changes for the sake of changing isn’t wise. Pursuing the changes that God wants you to make will happen when you’re ready to let go of what you have and what you’ve been doing to experience the more that God has in store for you.
Conflicts and problems and addictions occur when we say “yes” to what we should be saying “no” to and saying “no” to what we should be saying “yes” to. If I spend enough time dwelling on what I don’t like about you or what I don’t like about myself, then I can’t stand being around either of us. If I spend enough time thinking about what I dislike about my job, then I won’t want to work there anymore. If I spend much time worrying about the direction our world is heading and all of the bad things that can happen, I won’t want to live this life. If I look backwards through my rearview mirror at all of the bad stuff that’s happened, I’m going to crash because I’m looking the wrong way. If I eat to deal with stress, I’m going to get fat. If I don’t exercise, I’m going to get sick. If I eat the wrong things, I’m going to have health problems. If I try to get people to like me and to not get mad at me, it may work temporarily, but I won’t like me. If I try to do more to get ahead or to make more money, then I’m going to be too busy, too preoccupied, and I won’t enjoy my life, my loved ones, or my work.
If your life is screaming for boundaries, set them. Keep it simple. Just say “yes” to what God wants you to say “yes” to, and be careful to say “no” to everything else. If you spend some quiet time today in prayer, God may bring to the surface a place where He may be calling you to make a change. If so, you will begin to experience more of His peace and His pleasure as you make this change. When we aim to please Christ, we soon discover His favor and His blessing. Living in God’s peace for His pleasure brings more contentment than Duke winning the March Madness tournament, the Steelers winning the Superbowl, and eating my favorite ice cream. Your life is a tool for God to use each day for His glory. Wear it out; don’t rust it out! Let the Lord be the Lord of your decision-making. Watch what happens!
