By "away day" I mean you went somewhere alone so you could spend time in prayer, thinking strategically, soul searching and seeking God's direction and guidance.
Jesus often took some away time.
One of those is recorded in Mark 1. He had gone alone to spend time with His Father.
The disciples came looking for Him with a sense of urgency. Here's what they said.
"Simon and his companions went to look for Him, and when they found Him, they said, "Everyone is looking for you."
Do you ever feel that way? Like you can't get away because everyone wants something from you? An email with your name on it. A hospital visit. A phone call in the office. A text to your cell phone. A person who wants a meeting with you. It seems to be never-ending at times.
But, just as Jesus did, it is crucial that you have some "away days." Days where you disconnect from your schedule so you can connect with God. Days where you turn off the noise so you can hear the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit. Days where you get spiritually re-fueled.
Think about the burdens you carry that an away day can help lift. Jesus reminds us in Mark 1 to "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." You may be reading this and you're carrying a heavy, heavy burden. You hide it from people with a smile, but inside you are collapsing under the burden.
Take an away day. Get with God and pour out your heart to Him. He can bring rest to your soul.
Think about the blessings that come from having an away day. When you are busy, you would think the last thing you have time for is an "away day." You look at your to-do-list and rationally it doesn't make sense to take an "away day." But just like the tithe works, giving God a portion of your time enables you to get more done than if you hadn't taken an away day. I know it doesn't make sense on paper, but when you get away and spend time with God, He makes up the difference and even multiplies it.
Look at this verse in Mark.
But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.Think about how your spiritual battery can be re-charged at an away day. Are you like me? I hate having to take the time to pull into a gas station and re-fill my gas tank. My natural inclination is to enjoy driving more than stopping to gas up. But if I don't take time to pull over to get gas, I will soon run out and not be able to make forward progress.
If you want to last in ministry, then away days should be placed on your calendar on a regular basis. Remember this...time spent with God is never time wasted.
When is your next "away day?" As we quickly approach a new year, take out your calendar and put in some "away days." Do this and 2019 will be your best ministry year ever.
