Undercurrent - Coming Up for Air
God has established all sorts of rhythms in this world. There are the seasons of the year, day and night, dry season and wet season, and tides just to name a few. The same is true in our lives. We have a breathing cycle, a sleep cycle, a cycle of work and recreation, and more. Sometimes we think we can violate these rhythms - working without taking time to rest and recreate. It’s like holding your breath under water… you feel like your lungs are going to explode… you need to come up for air.
Listen Online: Coming Up for Air
Sermon Notes
When we violate the rhythm of work and recreation we feel exhausted, we become irritable and prone to anger, our hearts shrink so we are less sensitive to the needs of others, we begin to skim in our relationships, and we become vulnerable to sin.
God has established a sacred rhythm of work and recreation.
Many people have put their lives in a ditch because they did not watch their life closely. 1 Timothy 4:16
Self-assessment (water tower)
- Level 4 - Full: Confident, joyful, enthusiastic
- Level 3 - Mostly full: OK, tolerant, fine
- Level 2 - Deficient: Angry, fearful, anxious, defensive
- Level 1 - Dangeriously low: Depressed, exhausted, defeated, worn out, numb
There is a sacred rhythm of abiding (infow, receiving) and abounding (outflow, giving) John 15:4, 2 Corinthians 9:8
There are 3 dimensions to abounding and abiding in life:
- Physical: We want to abound physically - put physical energy into our work, family, ministry, and service of others. We also have to allow time abide - to sleep, exercise, and eat right.
- Emotional: We want to abound emotionally - give love to others and put positive energy into our work, family, ministry, and service of others. We also have to allow time to abide - spend time with people who lift us up, do activities that renew us.
- Spiritual: We want to abound spiritually - sharing our faith with others and serving in the church. We also have to allow time to abide - spend time each day in prayer and reading the Bible, be in church for worship each week.
There are 3 aspects of abiding
- Moments - like taking a few minutes to stretch during a meeting.
- Hours/Days - like taking a day off each week
- Long term - taking vacations
Where have you been living lately? Where is your tank?
What level do you want to live at?
Whose responsibility is it to make sure you are living at the level you want to live at? Who is responsible for helping you raise the level you’re living at?
Next Steps
- Take time to assess where your tank is now - physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
- Develop a plan to help get you where you want to be. Put into your schedule times and activities that bring physical, emotional, and spiritual renewal.
Contact Us
If you have any comments or questions about this message, or if we can be of further assistance to you in this area please contact us. We will keep your message confidential and make sure it gets to the right person.
To make a public comment, participate in a discussion of this topic, please use the comment form below.