Talk - the importance of pausing

I have recently given this short talk a couple of time. People have seemed to like it, so I thought I would pop it on here in case anybody wanted to read it, or use parts of it.

The importance of pausing.

Life seems to be going faster and faster. Adverts tell us that we need it bigger, faster, quicker, sooner. Internet connections are always on, we are always contactable, mobiles, e-mail, text, Twitter, broadband and mobile broadband. Coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi. I was on a bus the other day that had free Wi-Fi. We are not important unless our calendars are full – if I can make time today to see you today I can not be important.

But what is missing?
As we get more, the whole of society seems to be searching. Something is missing. Depression is still prevalent. We have more than people have ever had in the history of the world, yet we are less content than ever.

Who gets pushed out when we allow this to happen? Because we sacrifice something when we wish for another hour in the day, or another day in the week, or we seek the magic wand, or the time machine – just in order to get things done. Or we say 'Yes' to something but really don't have the time to do it.

Well, I have found that I need regular pauses. Just pausing. P A U S E

Its like a moment out, touching base. Somebody said that the lack of peace is a sure sign of the presence of sin. Yet pausing gives me the chance to see God's hand at
work, whether it is in the clouds in the sky, the beauty of a blade of grass or the love of Jesus shining from somebody else. It gives me some peace. I hear the inner – quiet – voice. I let Christ take the initiative. 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you' (John 14:27) He said.


Now I am not saying, for one minute, that a moments of peace – three minute retreats – is a replacement for Bible Study, regular prayer or holy communion. More, a top up throughout the day. It gets me from prayer to Bible study.

And it is not the same as a quiet day or a retreat. But a moments peace, I see, is a bit like drinking enough water throughout the day. We are told we should drink two litres of water a day and when we drink enough, we cope better. Yet drinking it all at
the start of the day would not be as good as has having a drink throughout the day. So it is with pausing. I can and do pray at any time – going to a meeting, coming out a meeting – in the middle of a meeting. Yet the pause is special – I don't seem to have changed, yet I am made new.

Mark suggests Jesus did the same. 'Everybody is looking for you.' led Jesus to say 'Lets go somewhere else' (Mark 1:35-39).

The importance of my pauses are that they don't have a purpose related to what I am doing. It is not a time to reflect on what I should do next, or to contemplate the outcome of a meeting, or preparation for worship. It is not about completing jobs, or ticking boxes on to do lists.

But it is an intentional break, a slow down. It does have a purpose – to re connect me with God. I maybe sat in an office, the front room at home or out on the patio staring up at the night sky. I might be looking at the chickens, stroking the cat or watching my kids play. I am trying to ensure that I see God, and the beauty of His creation, in everything I do and everywhere I go.

If you like quizes, try this one about Pausing. And you might like this book (ask me if you want to borrow my copy).