The Art of Pausing: Overcoming the Cares of Life

Not knowing how to stop from the cares of life is an evil of which Christ had already warned us. What really exhausts and damages the human being is the excessive desire for everything: materialism, the insatiable desire to achieve goals and excessive occupation. The inability to understand that we are limited and not eternal beings causes more and more people to go through this life without understanding their true purpose.

Exercising spiritual and physical disciplines in the face of the rise of modernity seems to be the only way of escape, since hyperproductivity is driving many to despair. Unfortunately, choosing to stop and rest does not seem to be on the daily menu of most.

Resting is a Choice of Faith

Choosing rest implies deciding to be disciplined with how we manage our time, especially at night: putting away screens, silencing the phone and honoring our humanity by recognizing our limits. By stopping to rest and recharge, I am choosing to give God the best of me for the next day. In our productivity-driven world, we have made efficiency an idol and bowed to the false god of "doing more".

Martha and Mary: Pacing Yourself

In the gospel we see the clear contrast between Martha and Mary. Martha, according to Luke 10:41, was "worried and upset about many things". The word "worried" comes from the Greek merimna, which means anxiety and constant concern. It is vital to understand this concept, because anxiety disconnects us from God.

In the Christian life, as in sports, the one who starts first and exhausts all his energy does not win, but the one who learns to pace himself. We must live with margin, understanding that life is not just about going fast, but about going far with purpose.