Not long ago, I found myself trapped by my own choices in two full-time positions that had me going 80-100 hours a week. I was loving it… until I acknowledged that somewhere in all my Doing, I lost my Being.
I found myself wishing that I could have a minor stroke so that people would know (and appreciate!) how tired and overworked I was. My friend, Ruth Hayley Barton, immediately diagnosed me as being dangerously tired. She helped me re-think that little Bible verse many of us know so well: “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10) The Hebrew word translated “be still” literally means “let go of your grip.” Ruth taught me that my workaholic behavior was my attempt to control my world.
There’s nothing wrong with hard work, but when we let our Doing take over our Being… there isn’t any space for God in our lives. During this season of Lent, I am inviting us to find a few moments to slow down and “let go of our grip” long enough to remind ourselves we don’t have to control the whole world! There is already a Creator and Sustainer of the Universe… and we are not Him!
Finding Sabbath rhythms could be the best way for us to break our addiction to workaholism and give us a “sober evaluation of ourselves.” (Romans 12:3) Finding Sabbath rhythms could be the best way to make sure that our Doing is flowing out of the core of our Being, rather than out of our own controlling intentions.
What would it look like for you to have Less Doing and More Being?