You know you’ve been spending too much time at the office when the only way you recognize your kids is from their pictures on your desk at work.
If that has become the case with you, you might want to consider taking a sabbatical. The word “Sabbatical” comes from the same root word as the Biblical word “Sabbath.” It means taking time off regular work for an extended time to refocus renew and refresh. In the Old Testament, every seventh year was a designated year of rest for those who farmed the land.
A sabbatical in mid-career might be the thing to do to build relationships with straying teens or to revive a shaky marriage. Maybe God would even call you to spend some extended time alone with Him.
Obviously not every employer will go along with this idea and you might not be able to afford too long of a sabbatical. But for those who are able, taking a sabbatical could be a really smart way to redeem the time.
Rick Grubbs is best known as the host of “Redeeming the Time,” a one-minute radio program featured on hundreds of radio outlets around the world. He has spoken thousands of times on Biblical time management in all 50 states and 26 other countries. He is the author of the book “Morning Momentum: God’s plan for launching an unstoppable day”. He and his wife Carrie live in Salisbury NC with several of their 12 children.