Working From Rest: "Pray Without Ceasing"
Paul’s instruction “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17) seems a bit unrealistic. It is fine, we might think, for “full time” ministries or monks praying in a monastery. But “ordinary people” have to work! What did he mean?
In fact, many who work “full time” in ministry are busier than many others. And ever since the first monastic communities were established, their rhythms of life were built around patterns of prayer, work, study, rest and fellowship. The work was partly to support the community financially (I am glad the beekeeping monks of Buckfastleigh have bred docile strains of bee, for example, as well as selling honey and wax products!). Work was also to serve the communities nearby in caring for the poor or sick and preaching.
As humans, we need different elements in our time: rest, work, recreation and focussed time on key relationships.
Rest includes sleep that reminds us we are human: unlike God we cannot just keep going! We need periods of physical, mental and emotional relaxation within a day. Muscles that are always tensed will soon tear or wear out and it is the same with our emotions and minds.
Work might be paid or unpaid. It includes what we do for others: we all do ‘work’ that is not for an employer or an own business. We can think of it as ‘activity.’
Recreation includes time with friends and family and anything we do for enjoyment, or simply resting. Games, exercise and shared meals, for example, can all be recreation and literally “re-create” aspects of who we are.
Relationships - we need focussed time on key relationships, starting with our relationship with Jesus but including others in our household and friends or family members.
We need all these within a day, a week, a month and a year.
The psychologist Jim Loehr studied professional tennis players. He found the most effective and successful were the players who learned to rest their minds and bodies in the few seconds between points. Rather than keeping up concentration throughout the match, they allowed the body chemistry, muscles and mind all to relax for a moment or two. It is a wonderful picture of how we can pray.
We cannot pray consciously while we need to focus our energy and concentration on what we are doing, whether it is work or listening to a friend or whatever. But we can keep our spiritual senses open to hearing God at all times, listening to Him while we are engaged in what we are doing. Every time there is a natural pause or we have to wait, we can rest in Him and ask for His perspective on what we face, just as great tennis players sneak a few seconds of rest to recover.
- Chris Horton
(Part 2 of 3)
In fact, many who work “full time” in ministry are busier than many others. And ever since the first monastic communities were established, their rhythms of life were built around patterns of prayer, work, study, rest and fellowship. The work was partly to support the community financially (I am glad the beekeeping monks of Buckfastleigh have bred docile strains of bee, for example, as well as selling honey and wax products!). Work was also to serve the communities nearby in caring for the poor or sick and preaching.
As humans, we need different elements in our time: rest, work, recreation and focussed time on key relationships.
Rest includes sleep that reminds us we are human: unlike God we cannot just keep going! We need periods of physical, mental and emotional relaxation within a day. Muscles that are always tensed will soon tear or wear out and it is the same with our emotions and minds.
Work might be paid or unpaid. It includes what we do for others: we all do ‘work’ that is not for an employer or an own business. We can think of it as ‘activity.’
Recreation includes time with friends and family and anything we do for enjoyment, or simply resting. Games, exercise and shared meals, for example, can all be recreation and literally “re-create” aspects of who we are.
Relationships - we need focussed time on key relationships, starting with our relationship with Jesus but including others in our household and friends or family members.
We need all these within a day, a week, a month and a year.
The psychologist Jim Loehr studied professional tennis players. He found the most effective and successful were the players who learned to rest their minds and bodies in the few seconds between points. Rather than keeping up concentration throughout the match, they allowed the body chemistry, muscles and mind all to relax for a moment or two. It is a wonderful picture of how we can pray.
We cannot pray consciously while we need to focus our energy and concentration on what we are doing, whether it is work or listening to a friend or whatever. But we can keep our spiritual senses open to hearing God at all times, listening to Him while we are engaged in what we are doing. Every time there is a natural pause or we have to wait, we can rest in Him and ask for His perspective on what we face, just as great tennis players sneak a few seconds of rest to recover.
- Chris Horton
(Part 2 of 3)
Tagged with chrishorton
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