From Robert Kegan’s The Mental Demands of Modern Life:
“When burnout occurs, it is almost always an indication that the person’s goals have been externally imposed. Somehow he embarked on his present course because it was expected of him… He was never the authentic source of his choices and consequently they afford little real satisfaction.”
I thought that was pretty great.
Studying Greek this week, I needed a pick me up of sorts.
This is a hard language to learn – very analytical, mathematical, precise. I got a jolt from my wife via e-mail, but then our professor handed an article out by none other than Martin Luther. He talks about the importance of learning the languages of the Scriptures – Greek and Hebrew. I needed a reminder as to why I’m doing this, Luther provided me with one:
“We should not be led astray because some boast of the Spirit and consider Scripture of little worth, and others… think the languages are unnecessary. Dear friend, say what you will about the Spirit, I too have been in the Spirit and have seen the Spirit, perhaps even more of it than those fellows with all their boasting will see in a year. Moreover, my spirit has given some account of itself, while theirs sits quietly in its corner and does little more than brag about itself. I know full well that while it is the Spirit alone who accomplishes everything, I would surely have never flushed a covey if the languages had not helped me and given me a sure and certain knowledge of Scripture. I too could have lived uprightly and preached the truth in seclusion; but then I should have left undisturbed the pope, the sophists, and the whole anti-Christian regime.“
Beautiful. Basically, Luther is saying the Holy Spirit is in the languages of the Scriptures – not removed from them. Luther is blasting the anti-intellectualism of his day (and ours), the pope, sophists (modern-day secular humanists), and atheism (aggressive atheism, not passive atheism).
Simply put, Luther is encouraging Christians to adopt the reality that our minds are connected to our spirits – our minds are not our enemies, they are our friends.
So trudge on Christian. Exercise that mind and take heart!
Wow. I’m beat.
On tap for today was the following:
There is a verse that has been swimming past my view finder for quite some time now. An amazing verse from Hebrews 4, verse 11:
I need to rest. Badly. I need God’s rest, the rest he promises me and you. Badly.
I just got done listening to a timely message by Brad Jorgensen. It was on this very topic… Rest. (For all things good and holy, you must listen to this message – find it here.) The theme of today’s chapel at Bethel was, you guessed it, rest. People are talking about it, everywhere and in every way.
Where do you need rest? Is your job taking you to the limit? Is insomnia claiming the late hours of the night that God intended to recharge your body? Is guilt gnawing at the back of your brain like a buzzing July june bug? In the words of a modern day poet, do you “feel so tired but you just can’t sleep?”
Maybe it’s time to rest. It’s time to enter into the rest God promises you. And note the word, “enter”. We “enter” into God’s rest – not “strive” or “travail” or “force” or “push” or “strain.”
Pray for me to rest, and I’ll pray the same for you. Peace.
