Spiritual TimeOuts

Today's God Calling message speaks of working out of a tired, restless, or otherwise unsettled soul and a weary spirit. Jesus reminds us that He is our healer, healing body, mind and soul, and bids us rest until that peace is restored. So, the message is really about "stepping back" into the Holy Spirit and re-centering, refocusing and regaining spiritual balance..."taking five" in the spirit.

How do you do that in a meeting? How do you sit down with God's Word for fifteen or twenty minutes when you have that deadline to meet in ten? There is a Name above all Names...Just the thought of Jesus brings Him on the scene. The Word, which should dwell richly in us rises from within, and we are reminded again how much God cares for us. You can almost feel the Holy Spirit settle over you when you whisper His Name. He does it again and again and again.

This message is one that reminds me of the importance of starting my day with the Lord. It is even more important that our spirit is fed and made ready for the day. The bible tells us "to put on Christ" and talks about the believer's "uniform" or "dress"-the "breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, helmet of salvation, etc.

This message also serves as a reminder to me about the importance of guarding my heart with all diligence-of keeping my heart. Jesus said that the good man, out of the good stored up in his heart will bring forth good treasure, and the evil man, out of the evil stored up in his heart, will bring forth evil. I have to ask myself what am I "taking in"? What am I allowing to influence me, my thinking, my decisions, and attitudes? For example: The morning news is often filled with accounts of death and destruction, and all kinds of negative and depressing scenarios and predictions. But the news of the Gospel and the promises of God's Word are good news. They are positive and uplifting. So, we have to ask ourselves what we are listening to. I hear the economy is bad and getting worse...am I going to listen to that, or am I going to listen to God's Word which tells me that He is my provider, my source? There's a passage in the Bible that asks, "Whose report shall we believe?" We have to ask ourselves that every day, in every circumstance, in regard to every choice we're faced with.