Take a break !

In our area an interesting thing happens each year and I often hear people here remarking about it.  With over 40,000 students entering school each year at Penn State, there is a noticeable change to the town. The roads are more packed, the stores are filled with more people, and the region gets a much busier feel to it.  But when they leave in May, the region  breathes this collective sigh of relief that “Ahh, they’re gone again, we have a little more space !”    We all tend to like our space.  As a Christian who loves God, we come to truly enjoy being around others and we love our friends and family, and our church but everyone enjoys a little peace and quiet once in a while. Even the Lord would at times withdraw Himself from the crowds and also His disciples to find some solitude.  And there is a reason God instituted a Sabbath for Israel ! (Ex.20).

So what about you?  Are you taking some of that same time to unwind and breathe a little?  Jesus would pray quite often and we would be wise to follow His example in our private times.  But maybe it’s just turning off that TV or postponing a project or chore around the house to walk outside and just watch God paint another sunset to end the day and meditate on His wondrous creation and handiwork and realize that despite the problems you face, He is able to engineer something good in your life through them (Rom.8:28).  But be careful that when you do get away to catch a breather that your mind is focused spiritually, not otherwise.  If you start to engage in worry, turn it to prayer and trust. If you start to rehash painful moments, shift gears to pleasant ones and the many blessings you do have as a child of God.  Why not think about what heaven will be like or how having no sin nature will be?  Take stock of how you have grown and what you have learned of truth since being saved.   Paul wrote to his Colossian friends, “Set you affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth.” (3:2).   So take some breathers occasionally when you feel like life is choking you and recharge, we all need it !!

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