Phones, tablets, and laptops have become commonplace in our world today. It is expected that a person has one of these devices rather than not. Several years ago, while I worked as a software engineer, I had my personal cell phone clipped to my belt on the right side and a company two-way pager clipped to my left side (those were common back then). An employee saw me and asked me to turn around as he wanted to see if, by chance, I had a fax machine clipped on at the back.
We have an incredible dependence on portable electronic devices. As a result, we monitor the battery levels on these devices to ensure they don’t die and become useless to us. Chargers, cables, portable power packs, and docking stations then become as necessary as the devices themselves because, naturally, they cannot continue to operate without being recharged.
You and I have been given by God a beautiful gift called ‘Life.’ We were created in His image with an intellect, emotion, and a will. Additionally, we have been given physical bodies in which our spirit dwells. This makes us very unique and special beings. However, like our devices, we have limitations in our ability to function continuously. We must make time to recharge physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually at regular intervals.
Jesus, while on earth, pointed out this necessity to His disciples after they had been physically and emotionally spent. John the Baptist had just been beheaded, and they were heavily involved in ministry work.
In Mark 6:31, Jesus said to them, ‘Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.’
He knew that they needed to be recharged, and he took steps to ensure that happened.
Here are some suggestions for how we can do this:
- Spend quality time in prayer to God and read His Word daily, preferably in the morning.
- Listen to uplifting godly music that ministers to your heart and helps you worship.
- Find time for your favourite hobby or activity that you love to do.
- Get adequate sleep.
- Eat healthy and regular meals.
- Prioritize attending church where you are fed with the Word of God and strengthened by fellowship.
- Socialize with family and friends in relaxed settings.
- Absorb inspiring content through helpful books and podcasts.
Remember, as you endeavour to manage the busyness of life effectively, pulled in several different directions, with the demands becoming even greater, take time to recharge. Don’t let your batteries die!