Pausing Is Important

HELLO FRIENDS,

“Be still, and know that I am God” Psalms 46:10

Video games have changed a lot since I was a kid.  Not just the graphics and the music, but also the interconnected nature of playing the game.  When I was a kid playing Mario or T&C Surf (80’s kid here), if my mom asked me to hit pause and do a chore, I had no excuse.  It was either hit pause or face the consequences.  Now people who play video games have a different relationship with the pause button.  If you pause your game, it could affect friends around the city (or world) because you’re all connected in the gameplay. 

At least that’s what my son tells me.  

The anxiety to keep going is heightened.   Why?  Because the game doesn’t stop even if you do. 

Life is very similar.  Taking time to pause is difficult because everything feels so interconnected.  If we step away from our phone, we feel anxiety.  If we shut the door, we feel dismissive of others.  We feel we cannot pause because life will not pause for us.  

At least that’s what we tell ourselves.  

But pausing is important.  

And so we’re clear, I’m not using pause as a synonym for prayer.  I literally mean just being still for a moment and reminding ourselves who God is. 

Pausing allows our souls to catch up to our pace of life.  

Pausing helps us not outpace God.  It slows our lifestyle down to the speed of His grace so He can tell us what He requires of us.

Pausing helps give meaning to the moments we must move.  

Pausing allows for the blur of life and where God fits into it to come into clarity. 

Let me say it again, pausing is important. 

So how can we practice pausing if we’ve never tried?  

This week, consider trying one (or all) of these three ideas for 1-5 minutes. 

No matter your personality type, your gender, the trade you work in, or state of your soul — learning to pause will do your anxious, or fast-paced, or scattered mind and heart well.  

Why not practice it right now? 

Cris Buck

Executive Pastor