The Hidden Power of Taking a Break - Martin Wiles

Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Mark1:35 NLT

I’ve never been one to sit and twiddle my thumbs. Sitting and doing nothing makes me feel lazy. Since I only have so much time in life, I want to make the best use of every minute. Having this tendency leaves me open to overcommitment and burnout. Thus, I needed to understand the hidden power of taking a break.

What others ask of me, I usually agree to do—often not pausing long enough to pray first. I love seeing how much I can accomplish in twenty-four hours. Not that I crave recognition or do things for that reason—well, sometimes, I do, until after I’ve prayed and asked forgiveness—but like most people, I enjoy being appreciated. Sitting for hours watching a movie or relaxing in conversation with company is difficult. My mind races with all the things I could be doing that seem more productive.

Jesus was a busy man, too. Knowledge of his ability to heal spread like a California wildfire. Crowds crowded him. Everyone wanted healing for themselves, a friend, or a family member. Had he taken advantage of every opportunity, he would never have gotten any rest or sleep.

After a long day and evening of healing, Jesus rose the next morning, went to an isolated place, and prayed. When some of the disciples found him and told him everyone was looking for him, he told them he had other places to go. He couldn’t stay in this one place forever.

Breaks from the daily grind of life are essential for good health—mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual. We can’t do everything everyone might ask of us. There’s not enough time in the day, nor does God expect that of us. Jesus knew he needed rejuvenation, and it came through a quiet time with the Father.

Quiet times—whether in the early morning, late morning, or evening—are crucial in our service for God. Jesus’ Spirit received refreshing, and He received instructions from the Father about his next move. Ironically, it wasn’t where he was—even though many there needed His help. Rather, the Father told him to move to a different area.

Enjoying life and making sure we’re on God’s track only happen when we take a break long enough to discover God’s will. So go ahead, take a break—and don’t feel guilty about it.

Father, remind me that I need a break to refresh my spirit so I can do my best for you.

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Stopping for a Recharge - Martin Wiles

Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile.” He said this because there were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat. Mark 6:31 NLT

After two hours, she heads for her docking station to recharge.

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 put millions out of work. The government issued stimulus checks to individuals and families to stimulate the economy. Yes, they wanted us to use the money to help pay our bills, but they also hoped we’d spend some for unnecessary things to jump-start the economy.

And my wife had an idea about how we could use some of ours to contribute. She had had her eye on a robotic vacuum cleaner before COVID hit. Not the one that costs $500, but a cheaper version sold by America’s favorite retailer. I had ignored her hints for months, but now, since we had extra money—and since Mother’s Day happened to come along simultaneously—I gave her the okay to order one.

Having both grown up when The Jetsons’ was a popular kids’ show, we decided to name our new addition Rosie—after the household robot the Jetsons owned. My wife loves Rosie. I suppose because my wife is the one who does the sweeping and vacuuming. I, on the other hand, tolerate her. She’s a little noisy, and she always seems to be cleaning in the exact spot where I need to walk.

Not being the most expensive kind of robot. Rosie can’t map out our house, so she plunders around from room to room until her battery drains. When I hear her noise level lower, I know she’ll soon be heading for her recharging dock. I must admit, I’m amazed she knows when she needs a recharge—when things are about to stop working if she doesn’t do something. Like a heat-guided missile, she aims for the recharge station, where she stays until we press the “clean” button again.

What builders have programmed Rosie to know, Jesus also knew: we need time to relax. Crowds regularly thronged Jesus and His disciples. So much so that they didn’t even have time to eat on this one occasion. Jesus invited them to join Him in leaving the crowds—and the work—so they could rest. In His earthly body, even Jesus needed downtime.

God demonstrated the need for rest at the beginning of time by resting for a day after He had created. God, of course, is God and didn’t need physical rest. Instead, He gave an example. Later, when issuing the commands to Moses, God designated one day as the Sabbath and instructed the listeners to rest and worship on that day. After Jesus’ resurrection, early believers changed the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday. But the day is not as important as the ideas behind it. We need downtime, and we need worship time.

God did not create our bodies with the capacity to run continuously without rest, which includes more than getting adequate sleep. Jesus and His disciples may have slept during their rest time—perhaps they even took a power nap—but they more likely just relaxed.

My grandmother once warned me I was burning the candle at both ends and setting myself up for trouble. She was right. Not long afterward, I contracted a bleeding ulcer. A week in the hospital gave me time to rest and reflect.

Without proper rest—including sleep and downtime—our bodies break down, and things go haywire. We can also become legalistic about the one-day worship thing and forget that our worship can occur anywhere, but should occur daily.

God has work for us, and taking care of our bodies properly allows us to do His work and do it for a longer period than we could if we didn’t nurture our bodies. Our world is a busy place. To get the proper rest requires following Jesus’ example. He determined to rest, planned to incorporate it into His schedule, and then did it. He didn’t let the crowds—or their needs—stop Him. He knew the benefits of rest would far outweigh what the crowds perceived as urgent needs. Rest would allow Him and His disciples to do more later, and for a longer period.

God didn’t create our bodies to run continuously. Plan to incorporate rest into your daily schedule.

Father, guide me to those times when I can rest and reflect on my priorities and my relationship with You. 

I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

This Is the Day - Kayla Leinbach

This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 KJV

The first few notes of my alarm clock jarred me awake.

7:08 a.m. Another day to get through. I was exhausted and didn’t want to go anywhere. Life was too busy. Getting up and going to work or classes only weighed me down a little more each day.

My fingers hovered over the snooze button—my spirit unwilling and my flesh content with weakness.

“I hate Wednesdays,” I growled, flinging back the sheets and rolling off the bed.

Most people can relate. We have things to do and should do them for God’s glory. But a weight keeps us flattened on the ground—exhaustion, anxiety, depression, loneliness, or inexplicable things that annoy or discourage us.

On days like this, I blame the day itself—as if it’s the earth’s fault for rotating around the sun. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday—it doesn’t matter what our schedule is or what day it is. There’s always something about every day that we hate. Monday, because the weekend is over. Wednesday, because there’s still half the week left. Thursday, because it’s not Friday. I could continue.

As I whirl through the vicious cycle of racing time and crushing work, it’s easy to let myself fall into the trap of blaming the day for my problems. But God made each day and said they were good. Each day is a gift and another opportunity to serve and glorify Him. After all, He didn’t have to give us another day.

The Bible does not say, “We will rejoice if good things happen today.” We will rejoice because today is God’s perfect creation. When we take time to serve God and make the most of each day, He will bless us.

What are some ways you can thank God for the gift of today?

Tweetable: Are you thanking God for the gift of today? 

Kayla Leinbach is a college senior majoring in professional writing. She loves her dog, music, coffee, snow, and a cozy book on a rainy day. Her goal with writing is to bring glory to God and give a little enjoyment to anyone who reads it.

 

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God Gives Us Sleep - Maggie Wills

Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. In vain, you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to those he loves. Psalm 127:1–2 NIV

I once loved going to bed. 

I loved the process—getting a glass of water, hiding the clothes scattered on the floor in my room away in my closet, and settling in to read for a few minutes before turning out the lights. I loved this routine, but now, I stay up late. 

Sometimes, I stay up to check just one more thing off my to-do list, to finish an assignment before a deadline, or to squeeze a TV show or movie into my day. I have convinced myself that one more activity will make the day successful, and I can handle a little less sleep. 

The psalmist reminds me that God gives me sleep, and I need this gift. God blesses and sustains my work, I follow him, and He stops me every night to sleep. He knows I have limits, for He created them. He made me a finite creature on purpose and, while delighting in my service, also delights in my rest. 

When I forget or ignore that God gives me rest through sleep, I ignore a loving gift. My limits are His gifts, reminding me of His power to sustain me. I cannot handle sleepless nights because that is not how He created me. I desire to serve God and accept His sustaining gifts—including the gifts of my human limitations—as His design. 

I want to remember this before I make an extra cup of coffee in the afternoon or when I wish for a few more hours. The God who gives me work and purpose also gives me limits. My yawns tell me to settle, and the setting sun reminds me God gives me sleep.

We should thank God daily for loving and inviting us into His service. But we should also thank Him for the gift of sustaining sleep and reminding us that we need Him.

How are you handling God’s gift of sleep? 

Tweetable: How do you handle God's gift of rest?  

A graduate student at Dallas Theological Seminary, Maggie Wills’ experience in the school’s media arts and worship program helps her explore the connection between faith, art, and daily life. She grew up in Georgia but now calls Dallas, Texas, her home. She loves reading classical literature, her six brothers, and breakfast for dinner.

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Taking a Break - Martin Wiles

On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. Genesis 2:2 NLT

When teaching, taking a break takes on new meaning.

 

A long summer break energizes teachers. We think of new things to do with our students . . . perhaps even different methods of teaching that will better engage them. We may take educational courses to gain continuing education units. But the best thing about summer is that we get to take a break from the hectic pace teaching often puts on us.

 

When the new school year approaches, we think we’re ready, but it doesn’t take long before we’re tired again and longing for Thanksgiving and Christmas break. Making lesson plans and grading papers taxes our minds, and answering an endless list of questions from students tests the nerves. Two days for Thanksgiving and two weeks for Christmas rejuvenates us, but soon after we return, we long for spring break. And when that’s over, we’re panting for summer break again.

 

I imagine most teachers love their jobs—otherwise, why would we teach—but we long for breaks. Even schools that operate year-round have built-in breaks, equal to those districts that don’t hold year-round school. Teachers can’t teach effectively without breaks, and students can’t learn efficiently without breaks either. Our minds need rest.

 

Even God needed rest . . . well, not really, but the writer uses anthropomorphic terms to tell us God stopped working after a period of time. After six days of creating—in whatever way or time that happened—God rested. He took a Sabbath. A break.

 

By Jesus’ time, religious leaders had turned the Sabbath into a day where they expected legalistic observance from worshippers. Jesus reminded them humans weren’t made for the Sabbath, but the Sabbath for us. In other words, we need breaks.

 

Working all the time—whether at our jobs or at tasks or hobbies around the home—messes with our bodies. God didn’t create our bodies to go nonstop. One day a week to stop and focus on our Creator is essential, but we need more breaks than that along the way. We need enough sleep and rest. Otherwise, our bodies break down, we stress out, and we—along with everyone else we contact—suffer physically, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. Lack of rest makes us irritable, changes our attitude, makes us short-tempered, clouds our thinking, and complicates our relationships.

 

If we’re not getting enough rest, we need to check our schedules, make some hard choices, and rethink our priorities. Then make up our minds to take a break.

 

What are some things you need to rethink so you can take more breaks?

 

Prayer: Father, help us rearrange our schedules so they include times of worship and periods of rest. 

Tweetable: Is taking a break on your schedule? 

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Never Tired - Martin Wiles

He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Isiah 40:29 NLT

When just a young lad, getting tired took a long time.

One of my grandfathers once sang a part of the lyrics to the old folk song, “The Old Gray Mare,” by saying, “The old gray mare, she ain’t what she used to be.” I don’t know how old he was when he sang it—probably about my age now—but I knew what he meant, even though I was much younger. He was getting older and couldn’t do what he once did—at least not with the same speed and agility.

Nor can I. I remember summers when I was a lad. The daylight hours seemed to last forever, and my friends and I took advantage of every second. No inside games. No video games. No cell phones. Nothing but the outside and our imaginations. Cowboys and Indians. Cops and Robbers. Hunting. Fishing. Wandering in backyards far larger than children can experience presently. Not until our parents called us in just before dusk did we finally give up for the night. We never seemed to tire.

But something has happened as I’ve gotten older. The same thing that happened to my grandfather. I tired more easily. Now, after a day of teaching 105 middle schoolers, I’m pooped. After my afternoon walk, a shower, and supper, I slump into my recliner. And if I’m not careful, I’ll be asleep within thirty minutes. Nine o’clock is bedtime on most nights. Despite trying to eat right and exercise, my body won’t do what it once did.

Getting tired is parcel of this human body. Even Jesus did when He walked the earth. God didn’t design our bodies to run forever without rest and refueling. And when sin entered, it took care of breaking down our bodies and making them age.

Isaiah has good news for those who are tired. God gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.

Heaven will differ from the earth. At the resurrection, God will give us new bodies, suited for eternity with him. What we’ll do—other than praise and worship God—I’m not sure, but whatever it is, our bodies will handle it.

But for now, we need power only God can give. Strength to face the emotional battles we often encounter—the depression, the disappointment, the discouragement. Ability to battle the spiritual wars—the temptations, the peer pressure. And power to do life as God intends. God will give us the power and strength to accomplish His plan for us.

God will make sure we never get too tired to do His will. Our part is getting the proper rest, eating healthy, and exercising.

Do your part to care for your body, and let God take care of the rest.

Prayer: Father, give us the strength to do what You have called us to do. 

Tweetable: Do you need rest? 

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Walk-on Wednesday - Need Rest - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Walk-on Wednesday. By Hump Day, we are struggling, but we believe a good devotion can strengthen us to finish the week strong. 

So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. Hebrews 3:19 NLT

“When do you sleep?”

I was asked the question once by a fellow church member. He knew I was a full-time school teacher, part-time Associate Pastor, writer, proof editor, husband, and granddad.

As Thanksgiving approached, I was desperately in need of rest. Teachers at our school once received no break from Labor Day until the Thanksgiving holidays. A long stretch, unless it’s broken up by a day off. My nerves were shot, the kids were anxious, and I needed some downtime.

Rest is enjoyable and required for good spiritual, emotional, and physical health. Like many others, I don’t get enough of it, in part because I’m bad about loading too many duties on my plate. Good things, mind you, just too many of them.

The Bible speaks of several types of rest, the above included. The rest these rebellious former slaves would not enter was of a different variety. Heaven was its name. They had followed Moses out of Egyptian slavery but had repeatedly rebelled against God in the wilderness. With the exception of a few, the entire generation who left Egypt perished in the wilderness because of their unbelief and never experienced the rest of the Promised Land. They rested in the ground, but not in God’s eternal rest.

God’s ultimate rest is heaven, but if I stubbornly refuse to admit and confess my sins, I won’t ever experience that rest. Heaven is only for those who repent of their sins and turn in God’s direction. I look forward to that rest. While living on earth is enjoyable, it’s also tiring. The challenges, brokenness, sin, and struggles can sometimes almost be overwhelming.

I can, however, experience God’s rest even on earth as I await heaven. Jesus said he gives abundant (restful) life now and in eternity. As I seek, depend upon, and believe in God’s daily guidance and care, I enter his rest—the peace of knowing all is well with my soul because I’m God’s child, and he’s my Savior.

Have you entered God’s rest? His rest is available to all who will simply trust him.

Prayer: Thank You, heavenly Father, for providing a present and eternal rest for all who will come to You by faith. 

Tweetable: Are you in need of rest? 

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Take a Break - Martin Wiles

He makes me lie down in green pastures. Psalm 23:2 NIV

God made me lie down—even when I didn’t want to.

Life was busy. I sometimes didn’t know whether I was coming or going. I had taken a new position at a small church and busied myself trying to fall into my new responsibilities—one of which was planning two revivals each year.

Not knowing a preacher in the area to invite to preach our first revival, I chose my dad, a long-time pastor. Not wanting to make the long drive back and forth each night, he decided to stay with us. He arrived the Saturday before the Sunday the revival was scheduled to begin.

Saturday proved an exhausting day for me—but I couldn’t explain why. Every little thing I did tired me out. I slept little that night, and Sunday morning I discovered the reason for my exhaustion when I visited the bathroom. Dad had experienced a bleeding ulcer before. I knew the signs. I had one.

Instead of attending the revival, I attended the hospital—for five days. God made me lie down when I would have rather attended the revival and carried out my daily responsibilities. But in the lying down, God also taught me some important lessons. One, that I needed to take a break.

The psalmist said God made him lie down. As a former shepherd, David knew what it took for his sheep to lie down. They had to experience an absence of fear, hunger, aggravation, and friction. Jesus later termed Himself the Good Shepherd who does the same for His sheep as David’s God did for him.

All of us need a break from time to time. A period when we stop and evaluate—or reevaluate. A time when we stop, look, and listen. Studies have shown power naps during the day increase our productivity. So will rest at night.

As God’s children, we can experience these periods of rest. We can lie down for the same reasons sheep can. Through Paul, God says He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. Knowing our good Shepherd controls our life removes unwarranted fears.

Nor do we have to have to worry about the necessities of life, hunger among them. Jesus also tells us not to worry. He knows the needs of the small sparrow, and we are more important to Him than sparrows are.

The aggravation for sheep came in the form of pests, which the shepherd drove away by anointing the sheep with various things. Temptation will aggravate us, but God says He will not allow the temptations to trump our ability to withstand them—with His help.

No one likes friction either. When sheep are fighting, they won’t lie down. God wants us to love everyone, especially those who share our faith. He wants us to be peacemakers, as far as it depends on us.

So, claim God’s promises—and take a break.

Prayer: Father, we thank You for making us lie down when we need to rest. 

Tweetable: Do you need to take a break? 

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Take a Slow Ride - Martin Wiles

But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. Luke 10:40 NLT

Rarely did the speedometer register over twenty-five miles per hour.

As long as I knew him, my maternal grandfather never got in a hurry. He didn’t have to punch a time clock—he was a farmer. But he did have somewhat of a schedule. He got up at five every morning, dressed, drank a cup of instant coffee, and went to the wrap-around porch. There, he sat in a chair, smoked cigarettes, and waited for the sun to rise over the pines that bordered his farmland.

By this time, my grandmother had breakfast. After eating, he might do a little plowing, ride over to another farm he owned and check the crops, check his fence rows to make sure no hogs had rooted out … or drive two miles to town to Bert Sweat’s store where he and other farmers would gather for a Pepsi or Coke and a pack of Nabs.

Regardless of where my grandfather went, he took a slow ride in his pickup, and my cousin and I loved to ride with him. If we weren’t sitting on the edge of the bed, we were standing up behind the cab, letting the wind blow in our faces. But our favorite thing to do was sit on the tailgate and drag our feet on the asphalt as my grandfather puttered along.

I think of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus when I think of those slow rides. Good friends of Jesus who often had him over for a meal or just fellowship. On this occasion, Martha busied herself preparing a meal. Mary, though, took a slow ride, which caused her sister to complain to Jesus. And He set the matter straight. Mary’s slow ride was more beneficial than the fast-paced life Martha lived.

In our busy world filled with employers who want countless hours from us, with any number of people wanting our time, talents, and money, and with countless forms of entertainment—compounded by technology’s advances, slowing down isn’t easy. In fact, it won’t happen unless we make the effort.

My cousin and I could have easily found something else to busy ourselves with, but we chose the slow ride. And those lazy days around the farm have helped me understand the necessity of taking slow rides in life.

So, go ahead and take a slow ride. You won’t regret it, your family will appreciate it, and your health will benefit.

Prayer: Father, help us to slow down so that we can enjoy life and find time for those things that are most important.

Tweetable: Are you taking a slow ride in life? 

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Be Still - Martin Wiles

Be still and know that I’m God. Psalm 46:10 NLT

Finally, I found peace.

Teaching sixty plus middle school students can tax anyone’s nerves, no matter how proficient a teacher you are. I, and they, anticipated spring break. Their attention spans had diminished more than normal. Things easily distracted them—and me.

And then there was the matter of having resigned one of my two full-time jobs. The people had spoken, silently, and sometimes not so silently. I knew my time to go had come, but knowing and doing didn’t stop the anxiety.

We needed a getaway—and we had planned one long before I planned to resign. My wife had purchased a large tent. One big enough to accommodate our full-size blow-up mattress along with all the other stuff she planned to take. My brother planned to come along. He needed a break too.

We made arrangements for someone to watch the grandboys, and Easter Sunday we headed for Devil’s Fork Campground in the mountains of Upstate South Carolina. When we pulled into our camping spot, I knew the next few days would relax us. From our spot, we could look out over Lake Jocassee. And that’s what we did for the few hours after our arrival.

“I’m more relaxed than I’ve been in a long time,” my wife remarked as we parked our bodies in our camp chairs. I shared her opinion, in spite of our tenuous life situation. The first night relaxed us even more. We listened as coyotes howled, Canadian geese honked, and Whippoorwills whippored.

Like the psalmist, our trip taught us once again to remain still and know God is God—regardless of our situation.

I’ve learned taking time to stay still before God is essential for my spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical health. But I sometimes get busy and forget. I tend to my physical health, my teaching responsibilities, and my writing details with great accountability—yet sometimes forget to consciously include God in the mix. 

Often, it takes my wife, or someone else, to remind me to be more aware of His presence with me and His guidance over my life. As my wife had to on our camping trip. I could have easily found something else to do during spring break, but I needed to be still and know God was God.

When life gets hectic, or even when it’s not, be still and let God be God.

Tweetable: Have you learned to be still?

Prayer: Father, forgive us for the time we forget to be still before you.

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