Continuing the theme of taking brief sabbatical moments that interrupt your productive life ten to fifteen minutes at a time and contribute to your overall health, let’s look at the issue of vocation. While it is important to occasionally pull back and reflect deeply on your sense of call and the direction of your ministry, planning a series of brief reflections in the midst of your day can have an energizing effect. For example, planning ahead to interrupt your day for 15 minutes once in the morning, say at 10:30 and once in the afternoon, say at 3:30, over a period of a week can produce benefits. What you do during those breaks will be affected by what is happening during that day and what you think about during the breaks will affect your response to the daily tasks as well.
With respect to your call to ministry, as you labor away, it is important that you both remember how you came to sense God’s call and how you now view it. During your first break, whether at your computer or with a pad of paper, take ten minutes to write without stopping on how God called you to the ministry. Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, etc. Just allow the words to flow. What were the conditions? How did it make you feel? Who else knew about what you were feeling and how did they respond? Did some try to discourage you and others praise you for sensing God’s call? How did all those factors shape the way you pursued your call that led to your entering ministry?
Now, during your second break, write about how you understand your sense of call currently. Again, you are to write in a stream of conscience form without stopping to evaluate what you are saying. Try not to stop for at least ten minutes. How are you feeling about God’s call? Who or what encourages and discourages your understanding of your call?
In both cases, at the end of the fifteen minute break, put the work aside and continue with your day. It is valuable preparation for later reflection, but for now the sabbath moment is done and you can continue with your work.
Good ideas. Beginning with the word “considering” is not particularly warm, but academic. The central idea is good, if a bit pedantic in tone. I don’t need a lecture; I need a hand, an ear, a shoulder, for openers.
Can’t find word “considering” in the blog but agree that impt. not to be pedantic. Trying to be practical on how to use brief sabbatical moments to refresh self. Thanks for feedback. Please give more.