“It’s not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?” – Henry David Thoreau

I confess: I like being busy. Productivity boosts my spirit. I find it hard to sit still. Fishing with my husband never quite makes my “Must Do” list. How can anyone sit still and not talk…for hours?

Yet the Lord has pressed into my heart the word pause for 2019.

To be completely honest, I believe He began sowing His plan in my heart halfway through 2018. Literally. On the first day of summer. The day I fell and broke my heel.

For the next several months, it truly felt like someone had pushed “pause” on the remote controlling my life.

So often in my busy, hectic schedule, I longed for a few moments of “down” time. Unstructured time where I could just be. Suddenly I had time-in abundance. Not wanting to waste such a valuable gift, I invested in those projects I never seemed to make enough time for:

• Reading the Bible in chronological order.
• Sharpening my skills through online writing courses.
• Collaborating with other Christian authors through social media.
• Expanding my writing into other genres.
• Meditating on the Lord and His direction in my life.

When I reflect on that time, I realize everything I did centered on Christ. It is no wonder, then, how much closer I felt to Him.

As that time drew to a close and I returned to work and my busy schedule, my heart felt divided. Colossians 3:23 teaches us:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. (NIV)

I believe I am working for the Lord, even in my secular job. But sometimes I struggle to see the connection. As I focus on the tasks at hand, I sometimes lose sight of the One for whom I do all things. And for this reason, I need to pause in my busy schedule.

Pausing helps me to:

• Listen before listing: When my schedule revs up, my prayers can be reduced to a preconceived list of needs. Listening to the Lord’s direction reminds me of His purpose in all I do.
• Reflect before responding: Rash words often lead to regret. Reflecting allows me to search for a Christ-like response for any situation.
• Discern before deciding: Quick decisions may be easy, but they are not necessarily optimal. Discerning what is best leads to decisions that glorify the Lord.

Pausing produces the precious fruit of a Christ-centered life.

As I journey forward into 2019, I hope you often see me taking time to pause along the path. Wherever you are in your journey, I pray you too will discover the value of a well-timed pause.