counting sheep...

So I have decided instead of making New Year's resolutions this year I would make metrics that incorporate all I am learning about being an effective leader. And I am going to consciously stop myself from asking what if. What if is a dangerous thought progression to entertain that can lead to anxiety. Every time I begin to worry about the future I will cut the worry off at the start with reciting Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." While at home at Southland this past Sunday a guest speaker, Matthew Sleeth, author of 24/6 talked about the importance of the fourth commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." Exodus 20:8-11 He shared that God is Holy, God is rest, therefore rest is Holy. Holiness leads to fulfillment. To rest you must be very disciplined. D. Elton Trueblood says, "I welcome a really mature work on the cultivation of the life of the Spirit." Living a disciplined life is living a life through the Spirit. I have been told and would agree that lazy people often work hard but let others determine their schedule. Their top goal is to be busy. This comes from feeding vanity, if you are busy you feel important. Rest is finding out what is work and not doing it. Rest is what gives you life and energy. Rest to me is running. Rest to me is reading my bible. Rest to me is writing. Rest to me is hanging out and having fun with the generations younger than myself. I often find it hard to rest and instead do things like watch movies I have seen hundreds of times over, staying up too late and sleeping in too late, spending time on the internet and having a lazy day; none of these things bring rest. John Andrews also teaches on rest, work, and worth. He made the point that the seventh day is a day of beginnings . It is interesting to note that God is self existent, he doesn't need to rest but he does. Rest shouldn't be viewed as something we need when we are tired but rather it is something that prepares us; work from rest not work to rest. Worth is God created; we must not confuse doing with being. We are human beings not human doings. A key to understanding your worth is that God values you for who you are and not what you do. Jesus values how God looks at Him and who He is as a person. Jesus lives and we don't hear very much from the first 30 years but from the 3 years of ministry and sharing who He was. God commanded work from purpose .God hasn't called us to mindless work but to engage our heart and creativity. If you are emotionally, spiritually, empty on the inside, after work then you are doing the wrong work. I want to find a job that I can give life to my rest.