Sometimes You Gotta Take 15

I got a chance to go on a high ropes course for the first time ever a couple of weeks ago. We were at the U.S. Whitewater Center on a whitewater rafting trip with work. We had a few minutes to kill before our day was over so Michael and I headed over to the high ropes course. I'd never been on a high ropes course before, so I really didn't know what to expect. At first I was terrified. Everything about high ropes courses is against human nature. You're up high, balancing on a rope with barely anything to hold on to. You know your harness should hold you if you fall, but you don't exactly want to test it.

The first obstacle was only 2 ropes. You walked on one and had one to hold on to. After about 3 step-shuffle things I was convinced I wanted to turn around and get down. I had basically no fear during the Whitewater rafting, but this was too much. But I couldn't turn around because there was a 10-year-old boy behind me. He couldn't exactly go around me, but he was on my tail. When I finally got across the obstacle, I wanted to stop on the platform and take a few minutes to get my head together, but my shadow was relentless. He was practically running through the course. By the time I got through the last obstacle (a rope bridge with nothing to hold on to) he was actually running through the course.

If that boy hadn't been so fearless, I would have spend a lot more time on the platforms between the obstacles. I would have taken my time, going through the obstacle by myself without worrying about holding anyone up. Sometimes after clearing an obstacle, you just need to rest. It's part of being human.

This morning I was thinking about where I am in my walk, and I thought about this high ropes course. At one time I was that little boy, running through life and tackling obstacles like it was nothing. I never needed a break. I could never get enough of Jesus. There was no spiritual exhaustion. But I'm not like that anymore. I need rest. I need breaks. It's not that I occasionally give up on my faith because it's hard, but sometimes I need a moment to rest on the platform before continuing.

Spiritual development is hard. Facing your shortcomings is hard. Constantly comparing your life to the life of Christ is hard. It hurts. It's tiring. It's normal to need a break - to need to stand on the platform and catch your breath. It's normal to want to sleep in and skip quiet time sometimes. Confession: I've skipped quiet time about half of the time in the last two weeks. There were times when I opened the Bible and I started reading and about 10 verses in I put the Bible down because I couldn't do it. I didn't want to read without taking in what I was reading, and I just couldn't force myself to take anything else in at the time.

It's okay to take a spiritual break. I'm NOT saying it's okay to ignore your faith or to live like the world because the Christian life is too hard. I'm saying it's okay to take a break from spiritual development sometimes and just be. We are called to a higher purpose and it's important to never forget that, but sometimes we need to refuel before we keep going. Standing on the platform doesn't mean giving up on the high ropes course. Coming up for air doesn't mean you're done swimming. 

My friends, it's okay to take a break. God created us to need breaks. Just make sure you're honoring Him during your break.