“Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11: 28-30)
As I was working late one night this week, my computer suddenly “dinged,” and I saw the message on the screen that said, “Your battery is running low.” Staring at the screen, I suddenly realized that this message was not just about plugging in my computer. It made me think, “Am I doing the same thing”? Am I allowing myself to “run on low” to the extent it takes an outside message from a computer to let me know? Am I “kind of aware” I am overdoing it but not taking the time to stop? This computer message was undoubtedly a “wake-up call.”
Everyone is busy. However, it is the “busyness on top of busyness” which can drain us. Or as my computer message indicated, “drain our battery.” It is about getting through our regular work, taking on new things, even if we enjoy them, which can make us weary.
It can be the work we need to do but the weight of the stress of disagreements, conflicts, and difficult decisions combined that may burden us.
It might be only completing 80% of all the things we want and need to do, so the pressure of “many things to finish” is always on the back of our minds.
It could be our concern for others.
We need to realize when “our battery is running low” that we need to stop, evaluate, and recharge no matter the reason.
Consider the following three steps to help keep yourself from being drained physically, mentally, or emotionally.
Recognize when you are at risk of “running low.” If you are always staying up late, regularly getting less than the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep, rarely exercising, not eating correctly, and finding yourself anxious, irritable, or short-tempered, you are likely at a severe point of being drained. Take time to stop and re-evaluate what you are doing and what you can change. You may need to stop something (even if just for a while), delegate something, or make sure you are consciously taking time to rest or relax.
Learn from Jesus: Jesus told us to go to Him when we are weary and burdened. He then said to take His yoke upon us and “learn from me.” To learn from Him, we need to have time in the Word and prayer. You will be drained if you do not take time to be with Him, learn from Him, and apply it to your life. Have you stopped your quiet time, Bible reading, or prayer? Start today to put it back in your schedule, even if you start with a few minutes.
Find moments of rest: Busy times are part of life. Extra busy times are our warning times to make sure we fit in some rest. It could be going for a 10-minute walk, having a massage, taking deep breaths while looking at God’s creation, or whatever brings you some physical and mental rest. This will be very individual to you. Determine what is best for you to relax during intensively busy times.
Don’t ignore the warnings. Jesus gives us a clear answer on what to do when our battery is running low, and we are exhausted. He tells us to “come to Him.” It is not something that we need to do, fix or plan for. We need to go to Him. To enter His presence, be with Him, learn from Him.
Please do not do what I did that night last week. I ignored the warning and kept on working. The battery died, and the computer shut off. That was another wake-up call for me that none of us can continue to run on empty. We need to recognize our warning(s), stop, recharge in His presence, and prayerfully evaluate why we keep trying to do too much. Don’t ignore the warnings.
May God richly bless you as you learn from Him. Have a great week.
Bonny, Christian Women at Work