But what about us? For the Stay at Home Mom it is hard to stop and rest for there is sooo much to be done and for my Working Friends, I know this is equally true and probably even harder because they have deadlines and finances that are dependent on their presence and work load. I think it’s hard for any adult to take a sick day. We don’t have someone standing over us caring for our health, telling us to stop and rest and they will take care of things while we are down….or do we?
When we look at this physically, as we realize we are getting a cold, our nose starts to tickle and our voices begin to shake and our bodies begin aching, we notice it and we take action-either rest or deny. Others may notice our less than patient attitude and the grumpy demeanor we walk around with, but do we take heed and rest? Probably not. Too much to do. We just push through the pain and sometimes selfishly expose others to our illness cuz we don’t want to slow down and rest. Oftentimes it takes us getting the rug yanked out from underneath us with severe illness to slow down and rest, and then we we call in a “sick” day.
When we look at this spiritually, we don’t always realize we are getting a “spiritual cold” until the rug is pulled out from underneath us and we fall flat on our face. But what if we noticed the warning signs of a looming “spiritual cold” and were able to get the rest we need to avoid a spiritual crisis? Do we take heed when those around us notice our grumpy demeanor, the lack of passion or pursuit in our walk with the Lord as we once had serving Him? Do we choose to take heed and rest? Probably not. Too much to do. We just push through the pain and sometimes selfishly expose others to our germs cuz we don’t want to slow down and rest. Oftentimes it takes us getting the rug yanked out from underneath us to slow down and rest, and in which we have no choice but to call in a “sick” day.
Let me remind you that there is "someone" watching over you! Actually lots of someones...God and His army and Satan and His army. Both stand ready at the gate to defend you (God) or destroy you (Satan.) The Holy Spirit is our protecting CareGiver. His indwelling within us knows our “temperature” and whispers to us to rest up, get those vitamins going again, hydrate on The Living Water and feed yourself on the simple food of Daily Bread to settle yourself. But do we listen? Does it take us becoming so spiritually depleted, weak and empty before we call in a “sick” day? Oh how stubborn we are! We think we can just get better by doing nothing, just ignore it and it will go away. Well, we know that isn’t true physically and it also isn’t true emotionally or spiritually.
God says Come to me those who are weary, and rest. He is there, our Abba Father, caring for His children who don’t always recognize they are sick and need to stop and rest. He has already written His letter of “excused absence” on your behalf. And sometimes when we can’t hear those whispers, He will graciously send some on-call Believers to make a house call and show you your symptoms, take your temperature and bring you your Daily Bread and hydrate you with Living Water. And then, if you reject their care for you, The Great Physician will step in and work on you. And trust me, His meds and methods are not a quick fix, or pleasant. He describes some of His recovery places where we are placed in isolation to stop the spread of our “germs”- in the pit, in the dessert, in the valley, in the wilderness, in the sea. (Wouldn’t that be a whole other interesting study!!!)
So, what does it mean to take a “sick” day? I think for each of us it will look different. Some may need to take time away from the house and job for a period of time, maybe a day at home with nothing "being done" but resting, or a day away at the park or a weekend at a retreat center. Maybe God has sent you a friend to come alongside you and bring you "meds" once a week over a cup of coffee or lunch, or to talk about the plan for healing over the phone once a week as needed. Maybe time spent with a loved one that gets you and can make you laugh tears of joy through the tears of pain. Maybe you need to go to a professional counselor and work on some therapy, for however long as needed. For me, it was all the above. I needed to takes of rest at home, a time off from all the doings, other days I get away from the house and sit with just my God, enjoying every bite of Bread and Water, breathing in the fresh air of His grace and love. I also went to therapy once a week with a Believing therapist and a doctor. I changed my spiritual diet and took my daily prescribed Holy Word meds and began to restore and revive my broken and depleted soul.
I find that every day, best I am able, I rest. Just 15-30 min of peace and quiet to sit still before the Lord. I still do these things to this day because I do not want to go into another preventable crisis that is painful to overcome. Daily, I "take my temperature," starting with the break of every new day, I rest my heart and soul mid day, I nourish myself throughout the day with Bread and Water, I take vitamins of goodness and “fruit” snacks (like listening to sermons, reading books, worship music, etc), and when I lay my head down at the end of the night, oh what peace to lay still and curl up in His arms. Days I get the shakes and stiffness, I will call in sick. I make an intentional choice to stop and get help. I sometimes will spend time with a friend who I know loves me and will intercede for me, giving me the Truth in love and hope I so desperately need, and other times, like today, I am sitting here alone on my favorite spot on the beach just for a few. Bible in hand, journal opened, and Water plenty!! Each wave crashes as if into my soul and washes away my grit and grim. I find myself wishing every day could be like this and am reminded that one day for me, it will be. I will one day find myself soaking in The Son on the shore of my Savior forever and ever. Until that day, I will work zealously, faithfully, and wholeheartedly…taking sick days when I need them.
How careful we must be not to judge one another...you never know why someone may be taking a day off, going on vacation, sitting alone at the park, temporarily stepping down from serving at church, suddenly needing fellowship with Believers, asking those mysterious "unspoken" prayer requests, crying in church or on your couch. Why sometimes people go off the radar for a season, or two. They may be "sick" and need some time off for healing.So, may I encourage you from someone who has always had a hard time taking a sick day…take it if you need it! If you are beginning to see the warning signs of spiritual sniffles, shaking or stiffness, teak heed and rest!! You will only get worse and meanwhile selfishly expose your spiritual germs to others. You cannot ignore it and get better. You have too much to do that you must get the healing you need. You cannot afford not to take a sick day!!!
And maybe God is calling you as one of His On-Call Believers to gently encourage and admonish another, be sure that you take with you the right meds...The Bread and The Water necessary to administer to them. God's Word is a healing balm to the soul!!!!! There is no greater medicine than ones from the Great Physician and Healer!
“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14 (ESV)
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