Disconnect, Unplug, Rest

“It is difficult to think clearly in rooms filled with other people. It’s difficult to understand yourself if you are never by yourself…sometimes you have to disconnect in order to better connect with yourself and with the people you serve and love.”

Disconnecting…. taking a break…we all need to do that from time to time.

Have you ever just wanted to unplug and step back and be done? I had a dream about that last night. I literally dreamt that I had gone out of town, and I had left my phone at home, not on purpose. My daughter was the only one with me as we were at this camp of some sort. We searched everything and realized I must have just left my phone at home.

The thing is before I went to bed, I was thinking about taking time away from my phone so I’m sure that is the cause of the dream. But here’s the thing I don’t usually remember my dreams, but I remember this one…every detail...

Isaiah 26:3 - You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

As I think about this dream I had and I think about why do I post things on social media and the time spent on my phone, I wonder where are my thoughts fixed?

We need to fix our thoughts on the Lord, and it is good for us to step back and unplug and since the lent season starts tomorrow this might be the time to do that.

Taking well needed rest is also needed. I remember one time I needed a moment, just a moment and so I went on a 30-minute walk…it really helped me renew and take a breath. Sometimes we think the only way to get a break is to go on vacation, then when you get home you think, I need a vacation from my vacation because we all just go go, go on vacations.

That walk though helped me just enough to get my bearings, to enjoy what was around me and be alone.

Jesus took rest many times and sometimes it wasn’t for long but enough to take a breath. In Mark 6:46 it says, After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.

If it is an example in the Bible, then I think it is ok for us to take those breaks as well.

I used to work out pretty consistently and some days I would wake up so tired and just wanted to sleep but I would make myself get up and go to the gym, but then that whole day I would be exhausted because I didn’t listen to my body says to rest…

We all do that; we feel the need to push forward no matter what because we have to get stuff done but if we continue on we can really just be pushing forward hard.

Mentally and physically we have to have time to restore. In Matthew 11:28 it reads, Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest."

God is our refuge and strength. He restores and provides all we need.

If we need to rest then we need to take what He is offering and do it.