Many years ago I planned a women's ministry program called Vacation for the Soul. It was the middle of summer when many families take vacation, so the theme fit real well. We decorated the church's dining room with all things tropical. We had palm trees and beach towels; coconuts and pineapples. We wore leis and included some flip flop favors and an ice cream break. Although the whole day was lovely and relaxing, the most important aspect about it was that we were in essence, taking a break from everything; a mini vacation of sorts.
There are times when we all need a vacation. Even if it's a mini vacation. We feel tired - physically and emotionally. We have families, work and chores. We have schedules and commitments. Problems seem to always be there. We go through a challenging time and then another is just around the corner. Sometimes even the summer heat makes us weary. As human beings our bodies get tired. We don't have endless reserves of energy. We must replenish it regularly in order to not zap it completely. And we typically take care of our bodies by eating right, getting enough rest, and drinking plenty of water. At times a vacation, a few days off, is exactly what we need.
But there's also, to me, the more serious, more urgent kind of fatigue - that of our soul. When we feel emotionally taxed, there is no real easy fix like taking a nap. We need more than that. Sometimes a lot more than that. Every so often the psychological pressures are too much and we feel like we just can't take it anymore. We don't have answers, we don't know what to do or where to go. So, what do we do in order to avoid our fatigue from turning into real discouragement? To me there's only one answer, Jesus. I'm not trying to be simplistic, but where else can we go to get real rest for our souls? A real reprieve. A real time out. A sweet release and surrender. Having been there recently I can only attest to my answer. My sweet Jesus. Only He can make the difference. I recommend it.
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