A Powerful Pause: How to transform your day by taking a break with Jesus

Man stands outdoors, eyes closed, taking a deep breath, looking serene. Green blurred foliage in the background creates a peaceful setting.

Sometimes we need to take a break; step away from the hustle and bustle and just... breathe.

If you're like me, there is a subtle (and sometimes, not so subtle!) underlying panic that can creep into daily life. "There's too much to do; how will I ever be able to finish all of this?" "There's too much pressure; why won't these people just leave me alone?"

How can we find God in the midst of everything that needs to be done, and the demands that pull on us from every direction?

Even when I start my day with the Lord, it is far too easy to forget that He is with me as the hours fly by. The secret to staying connected to Yahweh, and aware of His presence throughout the day, is found in the power of a God-filled pause.

How often do you stop to to be with Jesus? When I was growing up, the usual guidance was to engage in a daily "devotion" or "quiet time" each morning. My commitment to doing this was pitifully irregular. And when I did, I rarely spent more than a few minutes in prayer, often just a list of requests. As I've grown older, I've come to realize how utterly dependent I am on continuous communion with the Lord, especially if I want to truly live like Jesus. I need to keep "returning" to rest.

Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. —Psalm 116:7

Jewish prayer services occur three times a day: morning, afternoon and evening. Liturgical Christians often practice up to seven fixed prayer times ("the Hours"), based on King David's example (Psalm 119:164). When we give ourselves permission to pause and intentionally renew our awareness of our Heavenly Father, it allows us to re-engage in the ongoing, divine conversation that Paul refers to when he tells us to, "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17).

As we approach the Holy Days of Passover and Resurrection Sunday, I am reminded that God is not a slave driver! In a traditional Passover Seder, participants are instructed to recline at the table as a reminder that we are no longer slaves in Egypt. And through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:5-7). We are now free to live a life outside of the worldly pressure to perform, and the sins of hurry and worry!

Having a powerful pause means intentionally taking a break from our work to be with Jesus.

We stop what we are doing, take a deep breath and invite His presence. Then, we allow ourselves some time to receive a hug, go for a run or engage in any other new activity with Him. As we fix our eyes, hearts and minds on Jesus, we are renewed: able to break from the patterns of this world and re-engage our work, now aligned with the Kingdom of Heaven.

Taking a powerful pause is an opportunity to reconnect with The One who makes everything possible. We are reminded to yoke ourselves to Christ and let the power of His Holy Spirit work through us. Our work becomes easier, as we let Him do all the heavy lifting!

... to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory... —Ephesians 3:20-21

Each pause is like a mini-"Sabbath", the Hebrew word for "intermission". Its root means, "to repose" or "stop exerting" ourselves. God commands us to Sabbath one day a week. And because He designed us to thrive with Him, it behoovs us to follow His commands. Pausing actually makes us more productive. When we stop and rest, we return more energized, creative and effective (see the research of Alex Pang).

In God's upside-down Kingdom, choosing to pause is also an act of spiritual warfare.

By doing so, we refuse to participate in Satan's lies: the illusion of our control, and the belief that worldly achievements bring happiness. We resist Fear and Anxiety, opting instead to walk by Faith.

So go ahead and quit for a moment. Give up your striving and take a break. Let go and surrender to your Heavenly Father, casting all your cares on The One who cares for you (1 Peter 5:7). This can be as simple as closing your eyes and taking a deep breath, saying a quick prayer of thanksgiving, or reciting a favorite Bible verse. Or, it can be longer: an extended time of prayer, reciting a liturgy, taking a nap or dancing to praise music.

By choosing to stop, you will find rest for your soul and renewed energy to get back and tackle whatever is on your plate. Try it right now! Stop fretting. Stop rushing. Stop. And pause.

(I'll wait)

As we radically trust Him by abandoning our work for these powerful pauses, I pray we will experience God's perfect peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7). May the joy of Yahweh be our strength (Neh. 8:10)! Amen.