Stop Creating – (At Least for a Moment)

RestIsCreating is hard work demanding all of one’s faculties. The attempt to create from a depleted state forges a mundane or mediocre result.  You should be at your best spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically when you enter the creation zone. We create best from a rested, renewed, and energized condition.

Consider the creation story. While I believe God wasn’t exhausted from His work, He modeled a routine of rest – specifically from the work of creating. God ceased and rested.

And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. Genesis 2:2-3

If your role is one of shepherding, encouraging, teaching, or influencing (that’s work of creating), you need to be at your best – renewed. How do you get there? Begin by ceasing. Put pause in the routine and quit creation activity for a moment. You’re actually better working less than you are working more. Sounds crazy I know, but it is true.

Ideas? Sleep, read, listen, contemplate, meditate (on Scripture and its application), journaling, game, sport, exercise, golfing, fishing, singing, worshiping, learning, piddling, tinkering, running, jogging, or walking – something different from your creating routine.

So, you have permission to take a break – not from me, but from God. You’ll be better for it.