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.
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