It has taken me a while to sit down to write this. Somehow, I find I need to have a tidy house around me and feel on top of my regular tasks and housework before I can feel comfortable enough to free my mind to think further. Even when I was rushing around with teaching and young children, I still had the same mindset. “Unnecessary” I am sure many of you will be saying, “there are always jobs that can be found to do if you look!” However, having routines can help us feel more organized and balanced, bring us comfort and a sense of achievement. All useful things for our general wellbeing. In establishing a pattern of activities for our week we allocate time for work, keeping fit, socialising and, for some, worship. When we intentionally create balance, adding rest in to this, we experience peace amidst life’s demands.
This month we enter the church season of Lent noticeable probably by the displays of pancake mixes and lemons in shops! Traditionally Lent is a time of giving up rich foods such as chocolate, fasting or taking on certain Bible based studies. The beginning of the season starts with reflective Ash Wednesday services and ends with the celebratory Easter Day ones. It marks the time when Jesus was out in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights fasting and praying. He took himself away from his established routines, finding solitude and stillness to prepare himself for the ministry and mission that God had, from the beginning of time, earmarked for him. Time without routine activities allowed time for prayer, for listening and for thinking – In today’s world we’d probably label this as a time of “self-reflection and renewal.”
Instead of giving up or taking on something this Lent, perhaps following Jesus’ example may prove more beneficial for our overall well-being. Why not build in deliberate time to stop and just be without feeling we are wasting time or being lazy.
“Be still and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10
This verse invites us to slow down, to make space for stillness in our routines and to give us time to connect more deeply with the world around us.
There are free APPs that could help you with this. Why not try one? Here are a few:
Pray As You Go; Everyday Faith; Prayermate
Stephanie Goodwin UAP Reader