Whether you are a writer or not, there is always more work to be done, another deadline looming ahead, and never-ending bills to be paid.
As a recovering workaholic, I am no stranger to overloading myself and my schedule with tasks. It is easy to find ways I could be doing more, and saying "no" to more can often feel like failure.
After A BOND OF BRIARS released, I saw God making space for rest and after years of "doing more" (and after reading When Strivings Cease by Ruth Chou Simmons), I was ready to accept that stepping back from social media for a time wasn't "doing less".
Ever since, I pray for God to make space each year for a month-long sabbath when I can re-evaluate my career and bring it into alignment with my calling. And every year, I return to writing and marketing with fresh joy and excitement to work hard for another season.
I've learned that the best kind of break isn't the one you take when you are spent and burnt out.
Rest is a part of obedience to my calling, not recovering from it.
When I submit to regular rest--whether it's a weekly sabbath or a yearly sabbatical--I create space for my heart to be reminded that:
I am a daughter of the king, not a slave. I can rest because He loves me.
God is in control, not me. I can rest because He is sovereign over all things.
Work is what I do, not who I am. I can rest because my identity and value is found in Christ, not in my career.
True rest is about refocusing the heart, not merely recharging the body.
Sometimes, taking the time to rest is the best way to surrender my story--the one I am writing and the one I am living--to Him.
So don't wait for burn out to determine when you should take a break.
Ask God to create space for rest, trust Him to provide, and find peace in the surrender.