Finding The Rhythm To Life

By Rev. Verna Del Turco

Are you tired? Are you worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly! (Mathew 11:28, The Message Bible)

It seems people are working harder than ever just to keep up with the never-ending demands. At times it seems relentless. Many struggle with time for family or friends and take no time for solitude or for themselves. We work so hard and so long that we’ve even crowded God out of our lives. The very society that we live in opposes any rhythm to life. Did you ever wonder why it is called a “rat race”? It is not a pretty picture!

Finding the rhythm of life is something that we all strive for; that delicate balance of worship, work, rest and play. Why is it such a challenge for us to “learn the unforced rhythms of grace”?

The word rhythm means “movement with regular recurrence” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The word harmony means “agreement, a pleasing combination of parts” (American Heritage Dictionary). I look at it like this – God is trying to teach me to live life with worship, work, rest and play moving with regular recurrence and a pleasing combination of parts. The word balance actually means harmony. God wants us to live our lives in such beautiful harmony in all of these areas so we can enjoy this life to the fullest (John 10:10)!

I really believe the secret to finding the rhythm to life is learning to listen to His promptings, obey His wooing, and respond when He draws us closer. You see, one moment in His presence changes everything. Everything we need is in His presence. Every answer to every question, strategy, wisdom, insight, peace, strength and so much more is found in His presence. When we learn to listen, obey and respond to the Holy Spirit, we will live our lives in balance and harmony because He will lead us into that perfect rhythm of life designed just for each one of us.

We live in a world that applauds achievement, but God applauds companionship. The world says, “Do more,” but God says “Be still.” Isaiah 30:15 reads, “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, In returning to Me and resting in Me, you shall be saved; in quietness and in (trusting) confidence shall be your strength. And you would not” (Amp.). This scripture always moves me. Here, God is giving clear instruction that will bring a desired result, but He says they wouldn’t do it. How many times in our lives does the Holy Spirit speak and we would not? He warns us to pull back, make adjustments, slow down, eat right, exercise, show good stewardship with our money, walk in love and forgiveness, but we would not. He speaks to us to spend more time at home, read to your children, make a special dinner for your husband, call and pray for someone, bless someone with some money…and we would not. He is always speaking to us through His Word, but in the busyness of life, we would not.

As we begin a new year - 2008 - a year of “new beginnings”, let us take a serious look at our lives and see if there is God’s harmony working in it. In one of Richard Exley’s writings he states:
“While I contend for the Sabbath, I am not naive enough to think that we can return to a legalistic observance of it. Rather, I am talking about the Sabbath principle where we recognize and accommodate our need for rest and relationships. By rest, I am not referring to leisure activities only, but to relaxation, solitude and sleep. Without these, our lives and our relationship will disintegrate faster than we can repair them.”

I pray that you will embrace God’s rhythm of life for you so that you can enjoy life to its fullest. Worship, work, play and rest… now that is the abundant life!