Comments on: In which Rest is an Essential Part of the Creative Process

By: Don

Don — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 20:32:59 +0000

In reply to Anita Mathias. Yes, academic life is a lot more stressful than people realize. And I wouldn't be so confident that the bulk of cancer research is beneficial, or actually even correct. Even in biomedical research, the pressure to produce publications leads people to cut corners. So many papers are, to various degrees, wrong (and occasionally fabricated). This leads to a huge drain of time and money when other researchers have to try to correct false reports. As for my own lab, I have tried to submit only rigorous and reproducible work, even though that means we publish less often. Alas, I have sometimes been criticized for low "productivity". So it is even more important for me to rest, in faith that ultimately God will direct and bless the work.

By: Anita Mathias

Anita Mathias — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 17:55:25 +0000

Thanks Don. If we take Genesis as inspired, perhaps resting is one-seventh of the creative process. You know, we do things for six days out of seven, and then take a day of doing nothing, when God can re-inspire and recharge us.
The pressure to produce something can be ridiculous in academia. In cancer research, there is some value in the findings at least. In academia in the UK (centrally funded), grant money is given according to the number and rating of one’s publications, which leads to publishing things rapidly to bring in funding for the entire department (not necessarily for the researcher). My husband used to have a chair in mathematics, and was told he had to publish or submit 4 papers in a very short time frame before the dreaded RAE (Research Assessment Exercise). That was the final straw that led me to strongly encourage him to quit academia 4 years ago. In self-employment, you can produce just enough to live on–though it can be Darwinian too, the cleverest surviving, when it comes to dealing with behemoths like Amazon.

By: Don

Don — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 15:46:50 +0000

Dear Anita: As usual, a beautiful and inspired piece. I found it greatly helpful and encouraging. There is so much pressure in the world to produce SOMETHING all the time, but true divinely inspired creativity doesn’t work on that schedule. It’s reassuring to know that I don’t need to burn myself out to make an important contribution. Who knows if other people will make me a martyr, but I don’t have to do it to myself!

By: Anita Mathias

Anita Mathias — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 11:45:55 +0000

In reply to Dave Malnes.

“even when I’m at rest, God is at work.”
True! If I remembered that more, I would burn out less!

By: Anita Mathias

Anita Mathias — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 11:44:58 +0000

In reply to Duncan Campbell. Thank you, Duncan. Shall check it out. I do try to avoid sugar and white flour, but will do so more rigourously!

By: Duncan Campbell

Duncan Campbell — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 14:26:35 +0000

Dear Sister,

Thank you so much for this blog. You finally “hit the nail on the head” for me in terms of “why take a Sabbath?”.

Tomorrow is Sunday, and I shall rest from my work. And I shall pray more, and more earnestly, for His guidance on all the creative stuff I have in my heart to do; stuff that I believe He has put there. I want my creativity to “make a difference”, and you have pointed out so clearly that it will only be in obedience to Him that things can go the right way.

For dieting, I hear you! My wife and I, especially me, have suffered and struggled for years to find a way to take care of ourselves and not be overweight. And we finally found it. The truth is, sugar and concentrated carbohydrates are the villain, NOT fat! I have lost the paunch that I had for 20 years, and without great suffering and hardship. I just cut sugar, white flour, fruit juice, etc, out of my diet, and I eat well without feeling hungry all the time. You can read about it on line. One very good version, that my wife and I follow, is called “The Cruise Control Diet”. I have no relationship to this diet in terms of fame or fortune; I just share it with you in an attempt to be a loving disciple of Jesus.

Grace and peace be with you!

By: Dave Malnes

Dave Malnes — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 01:17:21 +0000

To rest in Christ is to work in Christ. So often in the creative endeavor, we forget to include God. I like to think that when I’m working on a project that even when I’m at rest, God is at work. He provides thoughts, inspirations that takes us over the hump. And to think — we like to call it original work. Good post!