The anticipated number of travelers on the highways and in airports for the first week of July is a hopeful sign that people are “catching their breath” and beginning to wind down and relax a little. Those in the mental health fields argue that because of the stress and anxiety in our daily lives we need to get away for extended periods of rest and relaxation, especially now in the summer months. They argue for longer respites from work and even trips that take us away from cell phone coverage, internet and Zoom meetings.
Maybe we are not in a position to take much time off, but all of us can resonate with the need to really “get away” from work or the daily grind or the constant demands of social media. Even the Gospels suggest that good stewardship of our bodies, minds and souls obliges us to get away on a regular basis (see Luke 5:16).
As Christian stewards, we aren’t just encouraged but obligated to consider how we approach our stewardship of leisure time. Stewards are aware of their need to be busy doing God’s work, but often forget that down time is equally important to spiritual growth. Leisure time, whether it’s our evenings, our weekends, or our vacation, provides spiritual, physical, mental and emotional recharging. Leisure is necessary for human wholeness. Leisure reconnects us to the wider mysteries of our world and our God. It helps us daydream, imagine, pray. It refreshes our spirit.
Today, connectivity has become almost an obsession. People check their emails, their messages and calls with alarming repetitiveness. Accidents, both pedestrian and automobile, happen because people can’t put down their phones. Employers expect their workers to be available for evening emails. The lines between work and free time increasingly blur, as do the lines between solitude and always being present “online.” We can’t imagine putting aside screens for a two-week vacation. But we must give ourselves time to renew and recharge, not just two weeks of the year, but each day and each week.
July offers an opportunity to reconnect with the rhythms of God and nature. We need to take time off from screens and phones, and practice giving undivided attention to the things before us. When we pray, we commit time and silence. When we enjoy time with our friends and family, we practice being totally present. When we sit on the patio or at the beach, we give ourselves wholly to the wind or the waves. Be a good steward of your body, mind and soul. Don’t overschedule your time off. Listen to the quiet whisper of God encouraging you to relax.
