The Bible says, ‘The length of our days is seventy years – or eighty’ (Psalm 90:10 NIV 1984 Edition).
If you’re blessed to live that long you’ll typically spend an average of twenty-four years sleeping, twenty years working, ten years in church and on holiday (mostly holiday), seven years eating, six years travelling, four years dealing with sickness, and two years getting dressed.
Kierkegaard said: ‘The press of busyness is like a charm…seeking to lay hold of ever-younger victims so that [we] are scarcely allowed time for God to develop in us Christian character.’ It’s a mistake to think that rushing through life buys you more time. It doesn’t. Apart from keeping your adrenaline pumping and perhaps making you feel and look important, busyness can be the enemy of your soul. It can rob you of spiritual growth by preventing you from reflecting and examining your heart. We’re not talking about the number of things you manage to get done every day, but the quality of your life’s product. You can be busy, yet not be balanced. One Bible scholar said, ‘Solitude is the furnace of transformation.’
There are three kinds of solitude:
1) Brief intervals experienced daily.
2) Longer ones involving a few days or more away from it all. Despite His hectic schedule, Jesus made a habit of withdrawing from the demands of the crowd to spend time with His Father. (Did He know something we don’t?) And He told the disciples, ‘Come with me…to a quiet place and get some rest.’
3) Forced rest. ‘He maketh me to lie down’ (Psalm 23:2 KJV). Don’t wait until God makes you lie down! Endeavour to live a balanced life.
2 Chron 30-31, Acts 28
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