Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Lenten Devotional - Wednesday, February 24, 2021

 


 Listening With All Our Soul 

by Scott Stoner

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

—Matthew 11:28-29




The Soul quadrant of the Living Compass focuses on Spirituality and Rest & Play. One way in which these two areas intersect is with the spiritual practice of sabbath time.

The practice of taking time for sabbath is so crucial that it is one of the Ten Commandments. Whether we choose to observe one full day a week as a sabbath, or shorter periods of sabbath time throughout the week, any choice to be still and rest is genuinely a counter-cultural choice in our “busy-is-better” world.

Jesus talks about finding “rest for our souls,” which raises the question of what signs we might need to watch out for that are letting us know when our souls are tired and in need of rest. Here are a few signs that I have noticed in myself and others. See if any of these match your experience. 

• Feeling chronically tired even when getting enough sleep.

• Compassion fatigue from giving so much of ourselves to others.

• Holding on to worries instead of releasing them into God’s care.

 • Overworking and over-functioning to the point of exhaustion.

• Not being able to let go of mistakes you or others have made.

 

Listening to the signs of soul fatigue is the first step in addressing the problem. Next, we need to follow the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:29 and be “gentle and humble in heart” with ourselves and with others, as we turn to God for rest and renewal.

Making It Personal: As you pause and listen to your soul, do you hear any signs of soul fatigue? If so, gently and humbly name what you are experiencing. What is one specific thing you could do to create more sabbath time in your day or week, more time to turn to God for rest and renewal?

Living Well Through Lent 2021

Copyright ©2021 Scott Stoner. All rights reserved.

No comments:

Post a Comment