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At some point, we all find ourselves feeling tired and drained, wanting a break or vacation to relieve the pressures of life and work. William Penn said: “Time is what we want most but what we use worst.” There are twenty-four hours in a day and still it feels like if there is not enough time to get everything done.
People are forever running around, acknowledging that they are not sleeping enough and that there are just not enough hours in a day. Work demands are increasing, systems fail, energy levels are low, and some people feel like giving up. People are expected to function like robots, with some working up to fourteen hours a day.
They feel like it does not matter what they do, it is just not going to make a difference. Some say that no matter what they do, it will just never be good enough. Others say that they will no longer try to change things as the rest don’t care so they might as well go with the flow. The reality is, we cannot go on like this.
When I look around me, I see so much negativity and with that goes pain, disappointment, struggle, hardship, tiredness, and despondency. The reality is that ultimately people end up thinking and speaking even more negatively. The latter result in negativity overshadowing the good and positive things that do exist, but it is also fading into a blur.
Remember, life is full of positivity and negativity and although both happen, the question is which one is fed the most? The one that is fed the most, will reflect in your way of thinking, speaking and everyday approach to life and hence, you will struggle to see the good in anything.
We are daily experiencing more challenges than what we have ever experienced before. This is life, happening daily. I remember in 2021, towards the end of the year, I started hearing prophecies from across the world that 2022 was going to be a tough year.
It was also going to be a year with shifts in the spiritual realm and within our own lives we would see a big manifestation of changes which might even be uncomfortable when walking in Christ. This meant that it would be things that had to happen as it was the right time for it to happen, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.
With the aforesaid, off course, came a lot of challenges. We saw a big jump in changes in our technological environments which many did not agree with, economies tumbling, uproar, increase in crime and sexual immorality. The increase in pro-abortion activists is shocking, as more people think it is okay to kill the unborn and innocent.
The sad part is, is that although this has left people vulnerable, scared, despondent, negative, and uncertain of the future, it became the norm with a bigger focus on me, myself, and I, with my own rights above all, no matter if it means taking something from someone, even life.
This new norm effected not just one or a few cities and countries but many countries around the world. Ultimately, people were and still are left drained, tired, feel helpless and no longer know what they can do to bring about positive change in their lives, families, workplaces, communities, and countries.
I do not know about your life, but it does not really matter where I go or whom I speak to, I hear and see the same things everywhere. People are moving around or functioning like robots. People complain they are so busy and have little time to spend with family, not even to mention sleep.
They say there is no time to rest, go to church, read the Bible, or worship God. Think about it for a minute. When you phone someone or see someone and ask how they are, what kind of response do you get? I hear it repeatedly and even say so myself, that we are tired, busy and there is not enough time in a day.
Yes, we are all busy and yes life is pushing us to give more of ourselves and do more. However, we still have the control, right? We are the ones who need to STOP and take TIME OUT to reflect. We need to start in no other place first, but ourselves and take up the authority that God has given us (Romans 8:11).
PART 2
Why do we need time out? You see, it is always about work, commitments and being busy. Again, I am not saying that we must not work, have commitments and that we are not busy for that is life, even for the people who have retired. However, I am saying that we should have some kind of balance in our lives, as it is critical for us to survive in this busy world.
The reality is also that if we are caught up in such busy schedules, we end up doing things and becoming that person who we do not want to be. We become short-tempered, agitated, and angry more easily and this impacts our loved ones and those around us negatively, leaving us again despondent.
I want to share a short testimony with you. Our son was going through a difficult time in one of the jobs he was working. Although they promoted him, they started setting unrealistic targets. I know God says in His Word that nothing is impossible (Mark 10:27), so yes if something is in His Will and for His purpose, we would be able to fit in thirty-six hours into a twenty-four-hour day. However, from a human perspective, what they expected from our son was just simply unrealistic.
The amount of time he had to put in to produce the target that they set for him per day, meant that he would end up working twenty-three hours a day! That leaves you with one hour to eat, bath, sleep and spend time with your family. How is this humanly possible or realistic? It is like they put him up for failure.
Maybe this is also the situation that you are finding yourself in right now. So, with what is expected of us and how we need to live up to these unrealistic demands means that somewhere or somehow, something needs to be sacrificed. With this said, is it not normally our health and loved ones who are affected negatively? I do not think that this is what God wants from us. Where is the focus?
Let me share with you a little bit of what we did as a family to support our son when he had to live up to those unrealistic targets. We decided as a family to fast and pray together so that we could hear God’s voice in all of this. What was it that God wanted, because humanly, it was not possible to produce at the level the company expected.
For us this meant one thing, which was that the door in that job was closing, and we knew that God never leaves His children high and dry. He says in Joshua 1:5, that He will never leave nor forsake us. That dear reader, is a promise directly from God! We fasted and prayed and let me tell you, God came through for our son and blessed our son with a new and better opportunity.
At some point in our lives, we need to STOP and TAKE time out to say that what is expected is simply not do-able. It means that we will have to do our best yes, but at some point, we also need to stand up for ourselves and decide to move away from what is hurting us and our loved ones, so that we can move into the blessing God has planned for us.
To take time out involves more than just taking a break. It means that God needs to be the centre of your time out, the one you need to consult with and allow Him to guide your every step. Yes, this is not a once off, but an everyday process.
PART 3
What are we busy with, and how do we deal with this constant pressure of life to keep on delivering and producing results, even at the cost of our own health. If we do nothing about it, we will burn out and there will be nothing left of us to give. This will have a tremendous impact, not only on our health but also on the relationships we have with our loved ones. But how do we do this? How do we ensure that we take time out and still perform? This is not easy, because you can’t stop working and not earn money as it is a requirement for your family to survive in the world today.
God’s Word is full of guidelines. Remember the story of Mary and Martha in the Bible (Luke 10:38 – 42)? Martha was running around to prepare the meal, whilst Mary sat at Jesus’ feet and listened to Him. Yes, Jesus and the disciples had to eat so the meal had to be prepared, but Mary chose to first sit at Jesus’ feet listening to His teaching, putting God’s Kingdom first (Matthew 6:33) for His Word says that when we seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, the rest will follow.
So here it was about Mary taking time out to hear God’s voice and that is what we also need to do, because running a rat race will steal your time and therefore you must make the effort to STOP, take TIME OUT and sit at Jesus’ feet so that you can hear His voice and ask His guidance.
Psalm 46:10 – 11 says: “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” You see, no matter what the challenges or difficulties you are facing, you must become still before God and know He is exalted above the challenges you face. Once saved in Christ, He is in you, so if He is exalted over everything, then He in you is exalted over your challenges. The challenges might not all go away but He is in it with you and will go through it with you, but you must allow Him.
Matthew 6:16 – 18 says: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”
Why do we fast? We fast to pray and when we fast, we give up something and every time we want that something, we pray and speak with God about the matter that we are fasting about. It is not about setting an ultimatum to God to give you what you want, but to put your faith and trust in Him that He will come through for you in His time and according to His will. It is about speaking to Him and listening to what He has to say and then to wait on His timing.
Remember that when you fast, you must give up something that really matters. For some people it is coffee, others do not eat during the day, some leave out meat and others fast from social media. It does not matter what you give up, but it must be something that will get you praying when you want it but cannot have it.
PART 4
Let us look at how love fits into the topic of TIME OUT. Colossians 3:14 says: “And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” When we talk about love, it is clear, that God wants us to focus on love instead of any challenge that we are facing. We can combine 1 Corinthians 13 with Colossians 3:14. 1 Corinthians 13 on love, tells us that we need faith, hope, and love. Yes, we need all three but the greatest of these is love. So as part of time out, we need to make sure that we love, but remember with love comes sacrifice. This sacrifice could include your time, finances, and your own self by putting others first just like Jesus did when He died for us on the cross.
With peace, let us look at what Colossians 3:15 says: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” Here we can connect Philippians 4:6 – 7 to Colossians 3:15. Philippians 4: 6 – 7 tells us not to be anxious about anything but in everything through prayer and petition and with thanksgiving, we must put our requests to God and then the peace of Christ which transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:17 says: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” What a powerful scripture! God does not want us to do things for man, He wants us to do things for Him. So yes, even if you are busy and have a specific job where He has placed you, remember you are not doing it for that place alone, but for God. Therefore, in your TIME OUT, constantly reflect on who you are and why you are where you are. To get to these answers requires time out and time with God, to hear His voice.
Then there is worship. I think some people might see it just as singing but it is about praising and honouring God and you can do that in several ways. It can be singing, listening to worship music or through your actions by making declarations from His Word, being obedient to His Word, and through sharing and caring. All the previously mentioned forms part of worship.
So, in TIME OUT we must be still, go into fasting and prayer, execute love, rest in God’s peace, reflect and worship. All the above mentioned are important and when interlinked is a powerful tool to use in living everyday life to the full. Yes, it might not mean that life will be without stress, but to have and use the tools that God has given us, will result in us not being overwhelmed by that stress.
Love in Christ
Princess K