Wellness Wednesday – “Getting Rest”
Getting rest is essential for our overall wellness. In fact, the need for rest is designed in creation itself. You can only ride a horse for so long before it needs to rest. You can only drive your car for so long before it needs rest. And you can only go for so long before you need to rest. Without rest, you begin to break down, and your well-being begins to suffer. You feel drained. You suffer from mental fatigue. You get sick easier. In our fast-paced world with all of its demands and its constant need to “go, go, go,” we hear a different voice inviting us to take some time to rest.
After a very busy time of ministry, when Jesus sent out His disciples two by two in Mark 6:6-13, they gathered back together for a debrief session to report all they had done and taught. After this, we hear, “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'” (Mark 6:31). A notable aspect of Jesus’ ministry was in the midst of all the business and demands for His time, from time to time He would take some time to get away to spend some quiet time in prayer with the Father. And He recognized the need for His followers to do the same.
How about you? Do you recognize that you need to take some time to get some rest? Or do you fall into that self-justifying temptation that there is too much to do to focus on self-care? If taking intentional time to get some rest was good enough for Jesus and His disciples, why not for you? It is part of God’s gift and design for empowering ourselves to care for our heart, soul, mind, and body so we can show up at our best in love and service to others in our various callings. So, what kinds of rhythms of rest to focus on for our health and wellness should we consider? Here are a few ideas:
1) Daily rest – Besides time for personal devotion and prayer with Jesus, we also need to be intentional about taking mental breaks throughout the day. A good rule of thumb is to work for 45 minutes, then take a 15-minute rest and repeat. You will find that your work efficiency will improve. Also, make time for physical activity like walking, running, biking, and weight lifting. As they say, “A body in motion stays in motion.” Finally and idea to share that came from the first pastor I served with as a DCE, former president of Lutheran Church Canada Ralph Mayan, was a rhythm of daily rest he called the 2/3rds principle. Take the afternoon off if you have morning meetings and an evening commitment. If you have afternoon and evening commitments, take the morning off, etc. The key is to remember that self-care is not selfish.
2) Weekly rest – While taking the weekend off might work for many people, those serving full-time ministry know this is unrealistic. This reality means that we must look to another day of the week to take our Sabbath rest. Mondays and Fridays are typically days most church workers take off. However, we all know the temptation is there to work even on our days off, especially when someone asks for something or an emergency arises. There are a few essential things to remember in taking and protecting your day off. First, learn to say “no.” While this may be difficult, it is vital to prioritize your self-care. Second, set expectations so everyone knows that taking weekly time off helps empower you to serve them better. And, if an emergency arises, find some other time during the week to take your day off. The key is not so much what day of the week you take as your sabbath; it is that you take a day for Sabbath rest.
3) Quarterly rest – A practice I had as a parish pastor was setting aside a few days for a quarterly retreat. This quarterly retreat was a time when I would get away from my typical setting and rhythms of life, say in the mountains or near the beach, to do some advance ministry planning. However, it was also a time for focused devotion and prayer with God to recharge my soul. I would also incorporate time for some play by going hiking, bike riding, or hanging out on the beach to rejuvenate my body, heart, and mind. While getting away to a retreat setting may not be realistic every quarter, taking time for a personal retreat for focused work and rest at home can also greatly benefit overall ministry effectiveness and personal well-being.
4) Yearly rest – An extended break each year dramatically improves one’s overall wellness and well-being. Most U.S. citizens take an average of 2 to 3 weeks off for a vacation. Sometimes those are in the form of staycations, where one takes time off to stay home to enjoy some downtime and focus on taking care of some personal matters. Just staying home can sometimes be wonderful! However, we often enjoy vacations where we travel to different locations by driving or flying. In either case, it is essential to take some extended time to rest, unplug, and recharge. As an extrovert, that means engaging with a group and engaging in adventures. For introverts, it may mean finding some isolation, like sitting by the pool or on the beach with a good book. Whatever the case, don’t leave vacation days unused, and make sure to unplug from responding to work emails – they will still be there when you get back into the office.
5) Sabbaticals – One of the greatest gifts that a church worker can receive from a ministry is to be granted a sabbatical. Sabbaticals are an extended time away from work (anywhere from a month to up to a year, though in the world of church work, it is usually 2-3 months) for various reasons, including personal reasons, professional and academic growth, learning and development of new skills, and rest and recovery – while maintaining one’s status as an existing employee. A sabbatical is often granted after 5-7 years of service. After just a year of serving on the SED staff, I was blessed to be given a sabbatical to do some research my dissertation. It was a valuable time to do focused reading on Luther’s teaching on vocation while at the same time recharging myself spiritually, getting back in shape, and spending some valuable time connecting with my family. Like Jacob having to serve seven years to marry Rachel (unfortunately only to be tricked by Laban and instead marry Leah – but that is another story), I am a year away from putting in my seven years to pay off the investment of a sabbatical that was gifted to me by the district. If you’ve served for an extended period of service without enjoying a sabbatical, please reach out to someone like myself who can help facilitate this conversation if your congregation is reluctant – it is a blessing that all church workers should benefit from experiencing.
Today we who serve in full-time ministry hear the invitation of Jesus as He gave to His disciples long ago, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” How will you respond to this invitation of Jesus, who is our sabbath rest? As you do, working in different rhythms of rest into your service in ministry to make caring for your overall wellness a priority, make sure to be intentional in how you rest. Taking time to rest is good; however, what you do to care for yourself, heart, soul, mind, and body is also vitally important. As for me, to quote John Muir, “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” As such, this will be my last Wellness Wednesday for a few weeks as I take some time to head out to Idaho to get some much-needed rest with my wife. In the meantime, may God richly bless you as you rest this summer to invest in your personal wellness and well-being.
