Lay Your Head on a Stone
At the time of me penning these words, it was 6:01 a.m. in Los Angeles, California. I had arrived at my hotel room the evening before, after a long and burdensome day of traveling, which I often call “traveling woes.” The emotional, mental, and social state at the time was exhaustion. This feeling is familiar to me, as it often surfaces during my birthday, November 11. During my birthday season, I would celebrate with friends, attend a silent/meditation retreat, and lastly, hibernate for the rest of the year to reflect on the current year and prepare for the upcoming year. Yet, this exhausting feeling has surfaced in August.
This feeling of exhaustion has ushered in anxiety over the businesses, ministries, and local initiatives I lead and participate in. For example, I am the president and CEO for Yoga 4 Philly, 501(c)(3). One of the many activities we offer in Philadelphia is our weekly yoga in the park classes. So, though I was in Los Angeles, we were still offering our yoga classes led by our most talented staff. So when I woke up at 5:11 a.m. in my hotel bed on that Saturday morning, the first thing I thought of was, “What is the weather like in Philly? What if my staff is late to host the yoga in the park class? What if there is a fire?” When I asked myself about the fire, I laughed and said (the clean version), “Okay, Steven. What’s up with you, man?”
After checking in with the staff (insert smiling face), I proceeded to meditate to check in with myself to find the root cause of this early exhaustion. One of the things that I noticed this year, as I would often do year after year, is that I work nonstop. The difference this year is that my traveling schedule, which would give me a semi-break, has diminished significantly due to COVID-19. I then proceeded to ask why I work so much. It’s because I believe I am living in my purpose, and I enjoy the things that I do. I am like my children, who can play on the playground nonstop, enjoying life, not knowing that there will be a moment when they will get tired or that they are already tired, but are numb to fatigue due to their enjoyment. So the work that I do doesn’t always feel like work – it's exhilarating! It is at this juncture, where I hear a call to return to a spiritual practice of rest.
During my 5:11 a.m. time of reflection, I remembered a story that my house church is processing as we think about the first of our seven axioms: “God is always present and at work.” In Gen. 28:10-22, Jacob is traveling from Beer-Sheba to Haren. While the story highlights a vision God gives Jacob during a dream, what stuck out to me was the fact that, while on his journey, Jacob stops, places a stone underneath his head, and rests. Jacob, being the seed that will continue the promise, work, and purpose of God, which started with Abraham, does not demonstrate a sense of urgency to get to his destination. He models in this story the ability to be on the path toward your destiny, while being mindful, disciplined, and faithful enough to rest.
Finding rest from our work is a spiritual practice first introduced by God in the creation story. Even God models the ability to observe the sabbath period as an important part of our missional work in the world. Just because we may enjoy living in our purpose, it doesn’t mean that we should ignore a weekly time to rest and relax. It is through resting that God replenishes us. It is through resting that God reminds and refreshes the vision that God has for us.
In conclusion, Steven, there isn’t a fire happening, and if there was one, your most talented team will be able to troubleshoot and find solutions. You and the work you are honored to participate in will be fine. So go rest and relax once a week.
Hey leaders, if you resonate with this article, the same message is gently directed to you. Go on and lay a stone under your head and rest. God will take it from here.
