Oh, to be large in soul-peace and rest!
Pause & Breathe Challenge
Silence & Solitude
Oh, to be large in soul-peace and rest!
When God pressed the ‘pause’ button in March 2020 and most of the world came to a screeching halt, we were mostly unprepared. Covid19 affected every continent and nation, every city, town and village, and every family. A stop to the scramble for more of everything except Jesus was sudden and unannounced. New words were coined, like ‘Blursday’[1], while others rose from obscurity to everyday lingoes, like pandemic, quarantine and lockdown.
Not since the great wars has the world been so dramatically impacted or digitally connected. Despite new avenues to communicate and connect, many felt muffled, muted, and mystified by the global shutdown. The elderly, for one, suffered immensely, as did those already living alone.
With a few exceptions here and there, most tolerated their “new normal” rather than embrace it. Surviving more than thriving, frustration built up in all sorts of ways. In June 2020, I read about a Japanese theme park that asked guests to ride its roller-coasters in silence. In the instructional video, two well-dressed men, wearing face masks, ride one of the park’s roller-coasters in complete silence. Afterwards, a Japanese language message appears, encouraging participants to “please scream inside your heart.”[2]
In more ways than one, it summarized the world’s emotional state. Wellness became a global concern as people tried to make sense of all these disruptions, the uncertainty it brought and the loss they experienced on so many levels. In the midst of it all, I experienced God prompting me to REST, WAIT, POTTER, PLAN, CREATE and BE! I soon discovered that I was not alone on this journey, so this year’s challenge was born.
I believe God’s call to pause after two years of constant change and uncertainty is an adventure not to be missed, a call we must not ignore. As there are so many dimensions to wellness, I trust God to show you where to put your focus.
Physical: exercise & health
Emotional: healthy thoughts & feelings
Spiritual: church, cell group & Bible reading
Intellectual: takings breaks, learning a new skill
Social: hobbies, interaction & hospitality
Occupational: balance, work, boundaries, saying No
Financial: be generous with your money
For optimal wellness, we need to be self-aware, which can only be gained when we take time to reflect. As we find new avenues to pause and breathe, we will recover, make peace with our losses, celebrate our victories and find a new rhythm. As we re-focus on God and celebrate His goodness, we will naturally overflow in thanksgiving regardless of our circumstances.
It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol. – Rene Brown
[1] theconversation.com › coronavirus-has-led-to-an-explo..
[2] www.ctvnews.ca › lifestyle › a-theme-park-s-plea-for-sile.
