When Life Has Lost Its Luster

Does it seem like you are just going through the motions? You get up and go to work, rush to an activity of some sort, then go home, watch a little TV and go to bed. And you do that day after day. On weekends there are Saturday chores, activities and maybe church. Then Monday.

Has life lost its luster? Is it feeling monotonous? Are you bored in the middle of everything going on?

It happens to just about everyone. But there are some key ingredients that God wrote into the Law for the Israelites to guard against the monotony of life. Let me give some to you.

• Work hard. Research shows that satisfaction at work has less to do with a positive or negative atmosphere (which most blame) and more to do with goal setting and achievement, commitment to excellence, and just plain old fashioned hard work. Working long hours rarely pays off. But working really hard almost always does.
• Rest hard. There was a reason God built the sabbath into the Israelite’s week. It was because he loved them and wanted them to enjoy the fruit of their hard work. Failing to take a day off, that is a real day off…24 hours without any kind of work, is not so much a violation of God’s Law, as much as a sure-fire way to lower productivity and appreciation for life.
• Tighten relationships. Most of the Old Testament Law was about this very thing. The Law was about loving God and loving others. Build your marriage. Make conversations with your kids. Keep short accounts with your loved ones and those you work with. Get tight with a friend or two. You were created with that as a core need in life.
• Celebrate. If you do a little research you’ll find that much of the Old Testament Law was about how to party. Yes…it really is! God wanted his children to celebrate. Their calendar was filled with feasts and gatherings. It was harder for them to make the time and journeys to do this but they did it several times a year. If you don't plan these celebrations, they won’t happen. Make them a priority.
• Reflect daily. Most people who succeed in life have a committed daily quiet time to read, reflect and pray. David did it. Daniel did it. Jesus did it. If you are too busy to make this happen, you’re burning out. Set aside the 20 minutes and stick to it.
• Worship weekly. The thought of showing up at the synagogue or Temple two to three times a month was totally foreign to the Jews. Worshiping with God’s people was at the heart of their week and they just didn’t miss. When you give it that kind of commitment, the experience changes. 

Monotony is an energy sucker. These six practices are energy builders. You already have in your life what it takes to provide meaning, interest, and fulfillment. You just have to arrange them in the right order of priority, and include the things God intends to help make the most of them. Work hard, rest hard, tighten relationships, celebrate, reflect daily, and worship weekly. Do these, and without changing anything else, the zest will return.