Are you on vacation? If not, picture yourself there. If it helps, picture some vacation advertisements – a family walking on the beach hand in hand. A hammock and cold drink. A mountain, or a city, or whatever means rest to you!
It feels good, doesn’t it? It’s proven: in a study published in Journal of Occupational Medicine. Three days after vacation participants reported fewer physical complaints, a more positive mood, and better sleep.
But vacation can’t solve everything. The study found the big picture of life unchanged from vacation. There was no change to general life-satisfaction. Five weeks after the end of vacation only the extent of physical complaints was still significantly smaller as compared to the pre-vacation level. Everything else was back to normal. http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/50/3/167.full.pdf
So how do we really rest, if hopping on a plane, renting a cottage or vegetating at home just aren’t enough?
It means clearing our heads and hearts, but not by zoning out, bur rather by focusing them on something else….God!
We asked some people: what helps you clear your head on vacation?
Question: What helps you clear your head on vacation? How long does it take to distance yourself from work?
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Today we look at how Jesus teaches us to stop worrying
Helene Hadfield said she doesn't worry about her husband while he's in space, despite the high level of risk involved in his work.
"If I did, I would go crazy. You can either spend your time worrying or spend your time enjoying the whole process and knowing Chris was loving every second of the time. For me to worry, it would be counterproductive because it would take away from his joy," she said.
"And I trust him. I trust that he can fix things and he knows what's going on and he's trained for so many years and he's so competent. But most of all, I just know that he loves what he does so it doesn't matter what the risks are."
Read more: http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/hadfield-says-hot-shower-felt-so-good-after-5-months-aboard-iss-1.1280554#ixzz2TQQKwlUp
She has faith in her husband, but of course he's not God, he's just a man in the sky!
For our worries, the solution involves deeper faith, but in God. This is why Jesus says, “You of little faith.” He's not telling people with no faith to get on it. He's talking to his followers, people with some faith, and he wants them to deepen their reliance on him.
Apply him to all areas of life…trust him with his creation, rather than thinking its all ours.
Having God's kingdom as first priority means we can have all sorts of second priorities. Think back to the image of our water glasses last week - pouring into God's kingdom overflows into our worldly needs.
But if I worry about building my kingdom, I am consumed by worry.
Note that Jesus isn't saying he'll give you all your wildest hopes and dreams. He’s offering a bird's level of food and a flower’s level of clothing! Oh, and citizenship in his kingdom. That's what makes it all worthwhile.
Challenge: From your worry list, what do you love more than God? How can you love God first, and those things second? In what decision today can you extend a little more trust to God than before?
