Three days into a New Year, are we feeling overwhelmed? I met with Sarah, my colleague in Ripon this morning and we shared together how knackering Christmas is as ministers give out day after day after day after day, when you stop your body is bound to need time to recover. I’ve slept most days since Christmas! Then as a New Year dawns there’s all sorts of expectation that suddenly bombards you: what about that funeral next week, where’s your hymns for Sunday, what about those plan dates, when am I going to write that bible study for Monday? Then there’s personal stuff I need time to deal with.
I love that bit in the Christmas story where Mary, knackered from an awful journey, birth in a stable, strange visitations from shepherds and magi, and mentally shattered from it all, she takes time to treasure these things and ponder them in her heart.
Maybe we need not to rush into the New Year with plans and busyness but instead take time to treasure the things God has given us and ponder where we are before taking decisions and setting any goals. What if we in every service or meeting had a time of silence to wait on God and ponder in prayer? That might allow God to set the agenda. We need to take time.
Early into 2024, don’t be overwhelmed. Stop. Be still. Treasure what you have. Ponder. It isn’t selfish. It is vital. You can’t keep rushing about or have your head so full of demands you cannot function at all. Just saying! And talking to myself!!!!
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