He is before all things, and in him all things hold together- Colossians 1:17
“Hold me together Lord at least today.”
I woke up last Sunday with a start I had to be in church by 8 O’clock and soon after be part of a bible study. Yet I still needed to see my parents, take a nap even though for an hour so as to be awake for a meeting in the afternoon. Ooh my, did I forget to mention that I had to do my laundry having been on training on the whole day Saturday? When will I ever prepare the report for my boss due on Tuesday and hey…wait on God for Pearl’s diary this month….
Does that sound familiar?
A quick look at the calendar before I hop into bed and end of the month seems so far! I am meant to do a small travel then, my annual personal retreat. For the longest time and possibly each year, I have cultivated a private habit of simply getting away. It has meant taking a few days off work, family, the usual in my life for me to get some juice in my trunk. It’s nothing lavish or expensive but simply a small holiday.
Pearl ought to put herself in that equation of life if at all the equation is to balance.
A reflection of the last few months and this has to be one of the busiest years I have had, not necessarily with school but a lot of activities and responsibilities. Yet I have learnt invaluably to have alone moments when I simply get away despite being in a crowd, demands of studies, work deadlines, ministry commitments and invaluable time with friends. In spite all on my plate, I have experienced stillness of heart and of my private world. I have entered bed and smiled alone before quickly drifting into deep sleep perhaps due to fatigue. I have had to learn that I might not be able to be involved in all that I possibly can, my time is limited, my body may not have all the energy. That it is okay to often say no. That in the list of things I must attend to, Pearl has to take care of herself first. That might sound selfish but it’s a continual prayer that Pearl puts herself in that equation of life if at all it is to balance.
“Pearl you are always on the run, you barely have time for us…” Those piercing words from my friend cut so deep and are still resonating on my mind. The reason why I have to make time to simply be with them later this evening. At least this once, in a very long time.
Too busy with public diary neglecting the private diary?
You see,life will always keep us busy.We have our peers to spend quality time with, family, perhaps one has to dash to school after work and have to report early to work to meet a deadline, perhaps your Sundays are spent in a ministry in church or the ‘hallo’ ministry thereafter with friends after service. Are you busy meeting every appointment in your public diary and totally neglecting all dates in your private life diary?
You see Jesus was extremely busy. If he wasn’t teaching, he was performing miracles from one town to another. In what would seem like his breaks, he had his inner circle still seeking to know more and draw from Him. Yet He gave us a perfect example of simply getting away to be with the Father. At one time after a long day of work, we see Him wake up very early and leave. He went off to a solitary place. And guess what, Simon and his other companions just couldn’t leave Him alone. Simon would later exclaim how everyone was looking for Jesus, clearly a disappointed man. All facets of your life are important, you play a significant role in the public world. There is something or many things that only you can uniquely do yet you are limited.
Solitude; moving away from all around us to rest and hear more.
Jesus understood the limitations of his mind, his body and his soul and he would often simply slip away to be alone with His Father, away from even His inner circle. Solitude is simply moving away from all that is around which often gives us rest and allows us to hear more clearly from our Father. In consciously withdrawing, we are able to also discern His agenda for us. We position ourselves to hear from God and not from every other voice that is likely to speak in our circumstances.
We can always get back when we have rested, when we have simply heard who we are, why we are where we are and where we are headed. It may also be a season for God to prepare us for what is ahead, allows us time to examine ourselves. In this time of silence, we are able to hear more clearly from God.
It may mean having another mode that you often slip into. It could be in the confines of your room, in traffic, simply listening to music that ends up ministering to you. Sometimes it may mean, switching off your phone just for some hours. It may entail simply listening to others as they share what they are learning from God. The principle of sitting still, listening more and talking less. I have learnt to simply look out for ways that the Lord would be speaking to me instead of being quick to share my heart out with Him.
We see this played out when Jesus calls on the home of two special ladies Martha and her sister Mary. They were good friends of Jesus. Martha was distracted with much serving, playing the good host in ensuring everyone was well taken care of. Yet we see the opposite displayed in Mary who chose to simply sit at the Lord’s feet to listen. The Lord had this to say to Martha who sooner rather than later got a burn out.
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
It’s not selfish to withdraw to replenish your body, your mind and your spirit for a while. You might not always get the chance or the time to get away but you can choose to simply create time that you simply get to rest. You ought to prune good activities which may not necessarily need you to attend to, just for you to attend to yourself first. Even God rested on the Sabbath after all the work he had done
Most importantly getting away allows us time to order our private world. To quiet ourselves from anything that causes us to be anxious. To be still, in the presence of God. It allows us a moment for us to simply mellow down so that we are able to advance to the next season.
If Pearl’s private life is not in order, how else will she lead at work, share from her internal reserve on what the Lord continues to share with her if she is empty? It may mean choosing the one thing the Lord would have you do and giving your energies to it. It’s in Him all things together hold hence we trust He will keep together every element that our lives consist of.
Scripture References: Mark 1:35-37, Luke 10:38-42, Genesis 2 :2, Psalms 46:10
Article was first published in LSR Christian Magazine 2012
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