I’m a human rubber band

Do you remember a super hero team called “The Fantastic 4”?  These guys gained superpowers after exposure to cosmic rays during scientific mission to outer space (Nerd alert). There was The Invisible Woman, The Human Torch, The Thing and lastly Mr. Fantastic. Mr. Fantastic, the scientific genius and the leader of the group, could stretch his body into incredible lengths and shapes. He was a human rubber band.

Sometimes I feel like a human rubber band. No one has ever called me “Mr. Fantastic” or a “scientific genius,” but I have often felt my responsibilities have stretched me into abnormal shapes.

The truth is the stretching isn’t bad for us. In fact, it’s good for us. When we are stretched and put under tension, we grow and develop. The key is in the rest and recovery. Without a time of rest and recovery, burn out, burn up, burn through or whatever you want to call it, will happen.

There is a reason God told us to take a Sabbath. There are natural rhythms built inside us and a Sabbath is a vital part of maintaining that healthy rhythm. One of the common obstacles to the lack of healthy rhythm is our inability to “disconnect.” Our smart phones, iPads and computers make it possible for us to stay in constant connection and that constant connection is draining our energy…one email at a time.

So here is a challenge for you. On your day off or your Sabbath, I double dog dare…nay, triple dog dare you to turn your phone off. Yep, I said it. Turn your phone off. I know what you are thinking. “I have kids and they may need to get in touch with me.” Okay, wait until they are home and then turn it off. If the very sound of that idea disturbs you, then you probably have an addiction…the addiction of connection. Being stretched and pressured is actually good for us. Constant, never ending connection is not.

Take a step towards rest and recovery by turning off your phone for a little while. If you do, you will probably find you can take more stretching than you previously thought.