Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10 (NLT) “
Many of us are still Driving along not realizing that we're Directionally Challenged and Heading For a Crash because we won’t slow down.
God May Be Trying To Get You To Slow Down Or To Stop Right Now So He Can Show You Some Things That You Are Never Going To See If You're Constantly On The Run From One Project To The Next, One Fight To The Next, One Battle To The Next. But how can God show you anything, when your focus is always on everything else?!
It could be that you've been running ahead of the Lord's timing, or you've been pursuing what you want instead of what He wants. Many of us are still Driving along not realizing that we're Directionally Challenged and Heading For a Crash!
Maybe you've been neglecting the regular timeout that God calls a "Sabbath"; you're all Accelerator and no Brakes, you're violating God's created order of taking regular rest! You’re daily bypassing all the signs that are God’s messages to you for your safety: ‘Stop, Do Not Enter, Yield, Dead End, One-Way, Wrong Way, U-Turn, Speed Limit, Caution, Bump, Bend, No Passing Zone, Bridge, Slippery Road, Falling Rocks, Road Work Ahead, Detour, Under Construction, Don’t Walk, Slow Down, Hazard, and even Hospital, just in case you decide to ignore all the other signs!”
It's possible that God's been trying to say some very important things to you, things that would bring sense to your swirling world, but you can't hear Him because you're running so fast, in so many directions, with so many people, to so many places, on so many projects, to do far too much! Whatever the reason for your non-stop pace, I know there has to be someone listening right now to whom God is saying, "It's time to take a break…it’s time to hit 'pause.' It’s time for Time Off, Time Out and Time Away!" Don't ignore His call to "be still and know that He is God."
Because truth is, if we don't choose to slow down, He will as the 23rd Psalm say, "…MAKE us lie down in green pastures..." And truth is, many times the only way I took my Time Off, Time Out and Time Away was by God's Force! It wasn’t until I was flat on my back sick that I received the much needed rest I should’ve been getting all along. And I had to learn how to even force myself to take better care of myself! Because I didn’t want God to ‘MAKE me lie down flat’ anymore; so I had to start taking a hard look at all the things I was involved in and see where I needed to make some better arrangements and adjustments for my life.
God asks us to pause, or ultimately makes us pause, not to punish us, but to refit us. He wants you to slow down for work that needs to be done, for refueling that you desperately need, for retooling, or for redirecting you back into the center of His will. And He's actually wired us to do what His Son did at the beginning of His unbelievably busy days here on earth - to spend quiet time with Him. To hit 'pause' each new day so we can hear our Master's voice before we hear any other, appropriate our Master's resources, experience our Master's healing touch, and receive our Master's orders for the day. Why it’s so vital that you take Time Off, Time Out and Time Away!
1. TIME OFF – Is defined as ‘time for rest or recreation away from one’s usual work or studies.’ This is two-fold, you need to take time off to Rest and time to Recreate! I’ve always been amazed at how the body heals itself, especially through rest. Blood pressure regulates your heartbeat calms your breathing, is stable and you’re less stressed. Your bones aren’t aching, popping, snapping and locking, because they are receiving the reprieve they so desperately need, especially from us women who like to wear high heels day in and day out. Now, be prepared because your rest includes, ignoring your phone, text, emails, social media, and the like. It’s reconnecting with peace, serenity, tranquility. It’s also watching your favorite shows, listening to your favorite music, sitting in your favorite chair. It’s avoiding at all cost what’s going on at work, at church, at school, or anywhere else. It’s sitting still, going to bed early, not to mention getting more than 3 hours of sleep! But it’s also about recreation! And this is not a sin! So, go to the movies, go to the mall, start a dancing class, a pottery class, a painting class. Go to the museum, visit a garden and get involved in a sport. Change your hair color, change your wardrobe. Enjoy your life! Recreation allows you to Re-Create! You see, when your mind gets the break it’s over-due for, fresh juices get to flowing and ideas, passions, dreams and visions that you would have never imagined begin to formulate. So, don’t take this time for granted! Rest and Recreate!
2. TIME OUT – This is often viewed in a negative way as how some children are disciplined. Well, as children of God, this is a great way to help ourselves! Time out is supposed to give children time to reflect on what they did wrong and to understand the need for discipline for it. Like it or not, some stuff in our lives that should not be, will remain if we leave it unchecked. Therefore, do yourself a favor and take some time to give yourself a Time Out! Ask God to show you the areas, activities and addictions that may need addressing. Take this time to acknowledge any wrongs and to atone and make amends where needed. Take this time to self-exam your behavior, attitude, actions, thoughts, imagination, sins. Take this time to ask the Holy Spirit to shine a search-light on your soul and expose to you any areas of darkness that need to be discovered and brought to light. Therefore, put yourself in Time Out before Your Father does.
3. TIME AWAY –When you take Time Away, learn to disconnect altogether! If you’re at the movies, out to dinner, or on vacation, be there and don’t take social media with you! The word ‘away’ is defined as ‘at a distance from a particular, place, person or thing.’ And that’s what you need to do, create distance when you disconnect! One of my bad habits is bringing my cell phone to the dinner table! I’ve since learned how disrespectful, inappropriate and distracting such a bad habit can be. Since then, I’ve learned to plug up my phone away from me and turn off the ringer, and even turn it face down so I won’t even notice the little blue light or the screen displaying a phone call, attempting to catch my attention. I’ve learned to engage in meaningful conversation at the dinner table. It took me a little while, but I’m learning to disconnect and I hope you’ll learn likewise...Jesus did:
Don’t allow situations, circumstances, or people (including you) to make you think everything is an emergency and you are the only emergency personnel at work! You need a break to! It's not Selfish it is Self-Care!
Today, I admonish every single reader, Pause a Moment, Listen and Consider the Wonderful Things God Does for You and Those Whom You Love! The World will not stop because you do! Truth is, sometimes it's not a Break-Through we need most it is simply a Break! Love You Enough to Take Time Off, Time Out and Time Away! We Have Need of You...But YOU Have Need of You All the More! Be Encouraged because God has need of you on a daily basis. Be Still And Know That He Is God! Be Still So That You Can Hear His Voice. Be Still So That He Can Direct Your Path. Be Still So That He Can Bring Peace Into Your Life.
Blessings
J.P. Olson
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