Involved and Hectic Lives

We all live very involved and hectic lives. Most people today are busier than they really want to be and so find little quality time to be by themselves and reflect on what is happening in their life and in their own heart. Quiet and times of solitude are rare indeed and for many are a thing of the past. As disciples of the Lord we are to follow His example even when to do so flies directly in the face of regular everyday life. When His world was very busy and crowded with events and people He found a way - made a way - to find times to be by Himself to pray and reconnect with His Heavenly Father and His own heart. He took    opportunities to examine His life and make adjustments “on the run.” Plato, a Greek philosopher before Jesus was born, once said: “An unexamined life is not worth living.” I agree with him and try to follow the example of our Lord and find quiet stretches where I can connect and examine the condition of my heart and the direction of my life. All true disciples must do the same. Overseas where my team works an average 18 hour day - every day - I make sure that all team members, including myself, find time to reflect and enjoy a time of refreshing in the presence of the Lord. We go for walks in the brief time between services, make use of time sitting in the back seat of car as we drive to the next place, schedule a quiet morning without ministry once a week, and generally watch carefully that every team member has quality time with the Lord to recharge and to examine what has been happening in their time ministering as well as their interaction and relationships with other team members. The saying is true: “You can’t give what you don’t have.” And, to impart life to others we need to be experiencing God’s life in ourselves first. And, this takes times of solitude and quiet. Try it - you might even like it.