Grace Community Church

I am struck by a glaring irony as I type a forgotten article (due three days ago), munch on birthday M&Ms, kick my air-casted, ligament-torn ankle up on my desk, and consider my terrible eating   habits.

And while I’m the last person who should be writing on it, physical, emotional and spiritual health is at the forefront of my mind and heart these days. Please realize that I’m “in process,” and coming to you from a place of humility and honest evaluation.

My “healthiest” days were exactly 10 years ago. I was fresh off a well-conditioned senior year of college soccer and entering a summer camp ministry where fresh air, sunshine and quality people interaction were in abundant supply. I could run all day long, was fairly trim and lean, and entering an exciting season of life on the other side of my college graduation. Life was good and joy-filled.

And while life is still “good,” life has not been healthy of late, let alone joyful. I’ve entered some areas of unknown: I have never felt like I’ve “forgotten” so many things as I do now; never been north of —lbs on the scale (please do not fill in the blank) until now; and I’ve never experienced the level of stress and anxiety that I’ve encountered in the last year or so.

That’s a scary place for me, and has caused me to evaluate a lot of deep things in my life and heart. I’m not the “superman” that I once thought I was. I can’t force my way through challenges or even sit-ups, let alone burn off French fries like I used to.

I have been forcibly jolted awake to the reality of my own humanity, and my need for help beyond myself to get back on track to healthy and joy-filled living.

A couple of words have entered my mind in this evaluation: Discipline and Sabbath. In the fast-food, high-activity, youth-pastor-ly, life that I live, immediate or long-term health has seemed more a luxury than reality. I have found that I easily   disregard regular “health maintenance” in favor of the urgent and immediate needs in front of me.

Living, eating well and healthily is hard work. Mediocrity is always easier. Good health, on any level, is impossible without discipline, and unsustainable without rest.

Did God “need” a Sabbath rest? Probably not. But He set it as a pattern for us to follow because He knew our limitations. He commanded it as a regular time to “stop striving” and to see how blessed we are, how good He is, and to refocus our hearts for the road ahead. He commanded a Sabbath rest, but we easily disregard its practice because we’re “too busy” to stop and rest.

The sad part is that the hurried, frantic, human-strength-based living that we succumb to does a terrible job of reflecting the peace, joy and strength of our Creator King.

So...as part of a bigger, long-term overhaul to my life, I’m “running away” (temporarily). I’m taking a much-needed sabbatical over a six week period in July and August.

My desire is that God would renew and refresh, giving new  perspective for life and ministry, and for the physical, spiritual and emotional health that He desires me to live in.

I raise my glass of 2% milk to your health, even as I munch on my M&Ms. God desires our joy and health! Are you allowing Him the opportunity to give you that life? Maybe it’s time to sit down with your favorite low-calorie snack and reevaluate things.

By Jim Horning