Matthew 11:28-30
"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. 29 Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. 30 Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (from THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language © 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved.)
Bed Guard Rail
The Grace Therapy That Restores Unforced Life Rhythms
It's amazing how heavy life can feel at times. These words are so refreshing to those who feel overwhelmed by all the demands of life. They encourage us to learn the "unforced rhythms of grace." We have such a propensity to force things to happen in our lives and the lives of others. We want things to change and we want it "right now"! It seems that we get out of our rhythm and things become forced, out of sync and exhausting.
There are three powerful keys to Grace Based Rhythmic Therapy.
Key 1 Lose Control. Just a few years ago there was a societal rhythm that allowed us to sleep at night and work during the day. At midnight the television went off the air and didn't come back on until six in the morning. There was neither internet nor cell phones. We now live in a 24 hour a day, 7 day a week, 365 day a year world. Stores are now open all the time. You don't have to plan your shopping schedule. You can go to the store at 3 AM. We no longer have cultural guard rails that guide us into daily, weekly and annual rhythms. We are now in control of our own rhythms and routines. But freedoms often become the source of our problems.
The source of most stress and anxiety is the drive to control our lives. We couch these stressful and unhealthy habits in positive terms such as "responsibility", "obligation" and "pro-activity" but it is really nothing more than a destructive habit of obsessive and compulsive attitudes. If you can't go to bed without your cell phone you have lost your sense of rhythm and are experiencing stress at some level. Exhaustion has become your new normal. Night time is for resting. Daytime is for texting. But we want to be in control of every minute of our lives so we take our phones to bed with us so we can control our conversations twenty-four hours a day. Try losing control and go to bed trusting that when you wake up the world will still be spinning and your network of friends will still be there.
Key 2 Discover Your Personal Rhythms of Living and Quit Comparing. I used to look at others and try to imitate their life patterns. I saw how successful they were and concluded that if I patterned my life according to theirs I would get the same results. I always ended up exhausted and stressed. Creativity would come to a screeching halt. As I have discovered the rhythms of my own life I've learned to relax. When my energy is low no longer get stressed about it. I rest. I've also learned to harness those creative and energetic highs.
Key 3 Discover The Rhythms of Grace (Divine Favor). God has a rhythm. Jesus was never in a hurry. There seemed to be a pace, a rhythm, about Him. We can tune into that same divine pace. But as long as you feel obligated to fulfill everybody else's agenda, you will never find your own rhythm of grace. Have you ever noticed a basketball player who has lost his rhythm? His shots look awkward and forced and most of them don't go into the basket. But when he quits trying so hard and just lets his shot flow, his percentages go up. As we learn to rest in His grace we will find a sense of rhythm coming back into our lives. Some call it getting into "the zone." Religion, which is a life of guilt and obligation, has a way of getting you out of your rhythm. As long as you let others "guilt" you into doing things you will never find your own rhythm. You are too busy religiously trying to dance to somebody else's rhythm. It forces you into a mold that binds you. A religion that condemns and binds you with rules and restrictions will wear you out. But Jesus Christ brings you back into a flowing relationship with God that causes you to rest and find your rhythm. The grace of Jesus Christ frees you to give to others out of generosity rather than obligation or shame. So whether you are building a career, a business, a family or a future; don't let what you are building destroy you. Let Jesus Christ give you a real rest and a rhythm that resonates with God's eternal heartbeat.