Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Week Forty-One - Draw the Line

I took a day off today. I started with my usual routine of devotions and breakfast, then did one productive job and drew the line. Sometimes you just must stop!

Even when nothing is wrong, you aren't totally exhausted, or there is no significant event pushing you to keep going, it is still the wisest and best to take a day off. Why? Because your body, soul, and mind need time to refresh.

That evening I felt ready to forge on with my schedule and the upcoming events while I whispered  a little prayer of thanks for the time spent just hanging out with friends. We had no agenda, no real plan; we just took six hours to wander around and enjoy being together.  Perfect day off!

How often do we forget our built-in need for a break? How often do we push and push until all we feel is pushed out of shape? Too often, I'd say. At least I tend to be that way. But when I take time to walk away, leaving my to-do list lying by the computer and my phone in the car, the benefit is a blessing.

Mark 6:31 records Jesus' thought on taking a day off when He says to the disciples, "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat."

I've been in that spot. Have you? When even taking time for a meal felt wasteful and I had to eat so hurriedly it upset my system. 

When life gets this hectic and demanding, we ought to see the warning signals. Our bodies were not made to keep going without a measure of rest. Pushing them too far causes the organs to break down and the wear and tear to show on our faces. We are much more beautiful when we are restful, relaxed, and energized.

So today, why not take a few hours to retreat to a desert place - a place of no productivity, no pressure, no agenda, just time with your family or friends. Or even time alone! It will do you a world of good to draw the line.

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