by Jordy van Gaalen

Realigning with God Beyond the Stimulation

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

“Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’”
Mark 6:31 NIV

How many times do we find ourselves worn out? We race and rush until we neglect our basic needs: eating, sleeping, pausing, resting, praying. We forget to sit in the presence of our Heavenly Father, and we forget to dwell in the presence of our friends and families here on earth.

We all need time to sit in a quiet place by ourselves. We must consistently find pauses and room to breathe. We must find that quiet place we read about in Mark 6. A quiet place by ourselves doesn’t mean zoning out in front of a tv screen or aimlessly scrolling through some social media app. A quiet place isn’t numbing ourselves to our thoughts. A quiet place is one of peace. It is a place where Jesus is welcomed in. It is a space where our thoughts can be stilled and our feelings can be reflected upon.

Rest can include many things, but I believe they should be things that fill us with joy. Time in nature. Time in prayer. Sleeping the amount our bodies need. Getting off of computer screens with the endless stimulation that they bring. Turning off bright lights and bright noises. Resting in the act of being rather than doing.

Rest can be found while watching the sunset or playing in the backyard with children. Rest can be found in laughing with friends and reminiscing with family. Rest can be found in scriptures or in a novel. Rest can be found in savoring a home cooked meal. 

We are overstimulated as a culture. We are racing around and running our hearts ragged. Find those places of quiet and rest. Our souls crave it. Our world doesn’t get enough of it. And then use that time to realign to, to talk with, and to find joy in our Loving God.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado