Scaling Back to a Sustainable Rhythm
As I’ve started the “Digital Fast” one of the first things I noticed is how frenetic my life has become lately. As the church slowly grows and my family continues to develop, at times I find myself juggling more items than I can keep track of.
The result is that I say silly things, like the sun revolving around the earth! Or, more frequently, that my fuse gets short, the quality of my work deteriorates, and that my health takes a hit. When a pot of coffee isn’t enough to get me through the day, maybe its time to rethink my pace.
I’m only a few days into the Digital Fast and already feel a weight coming off.
One thing that I’ll implement going forward is to limit my church emails to one a week. Instead of both Wednesday’s Word and the Cascade Loop, I’ll just send the Friday “Loop” email with a longer devotional thought and the church’s activities.
You might not know this, but other than the helpful articles from James and Kyle, I’ve done all the writing, layout, video, and scheduling of these emails. As I’m reaching my four and a half year mark serving Cascade, I know that I need to focus on what’s most important.
How about you? Whether you’re doing the digital fast or not, have you noticed any important but unnecessary loads you can put down? Are there any stresses you don’t have to tackle?
One moment of breakthrough happened as I was talking to my spiritual director. We were discussing Psalm 16 where David writes:
LORD, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.
As I read these words, I confessed a subtle but pervasive lie I'd been living. I acknowledged that, yes, God has indeed placed my 'boundary lines in pleasant places.' He has blessed me with a loving family, a vibrant church community, and the privilege of serving Him. Yet, I was living as if I had to defend those boundaries, maintain those blessings, earn that security. I was holding onto them with white knuckles, constantly striving, worrying, and straining.
It struck me: this is not the rest Jesus offers. He doesn’t invite us to a life of anxious preservation, but to a life of trusting surrender. He invites us to 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest' (Matthew 11:28). David’s words in Psalm 16 are a declaration of trust, not a call to self-reliance. He understood that God was his portion, his inheritance, his security.
My struggle, I realized, was a struggle with control. I was trying to control the uncontrollable, to secure the already secured. God had already set the boundaries; my role was to walk within them, to enjoy them, to trust Him for their continued provision.
This realization has been transformative. It’s not about passive acceptance; it’s about active trust. It means recognizing that my ministry, my family, my health, are all ultimately in God's hands. It means releasing the burden of being the 'chief maintainer' and embracing the joy of being a faithful steward.
Practically, this looks like:
Prioritizing prayer and reflection: Spending more time in God's presence, allowing Him to realign my heart and perspective.
Delegating and trusting others: Recognizing that I don't have to do everything myself and empowering others to use their gifts.
Setting healthy boundaries: Saying 'no' to things that drain me and 'yes' to things that nourish me.
Practicing gratitude: Focusing on the blessings God has already given, rather than dwelling on anxieties about the future.
The truth of Psalm 16 is an invitation to rest, to release, to rejoice. God has set the boundaries. Let us walk within them, trusting in His provision and enjoying the delightful inheritance He has given us."
While a simpler inbox is a welcome side effect, the true goal is a simpler, more surrendered heart. Let us take the lessons of Psalm 16 and Matthew 11:28 and weave them into the fabric of our daily lives. Let's practice setting healthy boundaries, prioritizing prayer, and trusting God with the outcomes. And let's encourage one another along the way, spurring each other on to love, good deeds, and a deeper, more authentic walk with our Savior.
With You;
Pastor Tim
