Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
I’ve just started reading Juliet Funt’s latest book – ‘A Minute to Think’ – and so far, it’s a good read, recommending creating ‘white space’ in the working week to ‘reclaim creativity, conquer busyness and do my best work’.
A recommendation on the cover caught my eye:
“..the sustaining power of the pause….” – now that really made me think…...
We Christian’s already know the importance of pausing weekly – enjoying the gift of God’s intentional Sabbath pause for us to rest, and to enjoy Him and all He gives us.
But how can more regular pause sustain us? Especially in ‘maddening times’ as Daniel Pink puts it!
Well, it turns out if you Google ‘the power of pause’ there’s quite a plethora of books, quotes, and blogs on how pausing helps sustain us:
Pausing before responding and reacting, enables healthy conflict and sustains relationships.
Pausing from tasks enables creativity and sustains innovation.
Pausing and breathing enables mindfulness and sustains better mental and physical health.
Church administrators are without doubt some of the most gifted and willing people I know, but many are also the least likely to create the space to pause. But we ALL need to hit the pause button a few times a day. In our world of too many meetings and too much on the task list, we overcommit ourselves to others and lose the joy and purpose of what God’s called us to do.
Today – create 5 minutes – at least a couple of times. In between meetings and before you jump from that phone call to your rota planning…take 5.
Pause. Breathe. Practice a Selah moment. The Hebrew word ‘Selah’ - is found throughout the Psalms. It’s a planned pause. A moment to stop and reflect on what we’re experiencing.
God renews our strength in those pausing and waiting times (Isaiah 40:31). We pause. We reflect. God realigns.
In the pause we can pray, praise, plan, prioritise.
In the pause God can realign us….and we can realign our day:
What is truly important? What needs to be eliminated? What is missing? What is draining our energy and distracting our attention? What should we concentrate on next? These are questions that cannot be considered, much less answered well, while we are running at full speed in a blur of ceaseless activity.
So don’t feel guilty for hitting the pause button. The pace will pick up again shortly, but for now, take a Selah moment. In our overstimulated, over committed world we need some space. As psychiatrist and holocaust survivor Victor Frankl once said:
“Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In that response lies our growth and our freedom” (Viktor Frankel)
Space and pause contains power. But the true sustaining power of the pause comes from God. Pausing, acknowledging the presence of Father God, feeling the gentle breeze of the Holy Spirit and meeting Jesus afresh, will strengthen and sustain us more than anything else.
I pray that you’ll create a pause today. And may you know God’s sustaining power in that space.
For you,
Jules
Jules Morgan
UCAN Executive Director