Vacation

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I’ll be going on vacation tomorrow. I'm getting away from the normal pressures of everyday life. Away from important phone calls and from the bothersome ones. I’ll be in a part of the country very different from where I live. There will be new vistas at every turn. It will be relaxing and a good time to reconnect with my husband. I’ll be getting away for some rest and refreshment. As I prepare, I am reminded that you can’t get away from your grief.  No matter where you go, your grief goes with you. You may be in a different place. You may not be confronted by all the reminders at home that can send you into a tail spin of grief. But the grief is something you carry in your heart. It will be with you in many ways. 

On the other hand, a different location can give you new perspective on your losses. You may find new ways to interact with Jesus to find comfort and healing. You may find that you can listen more carefully to the whisper of His voice (I Kings 19:11-12) when you are not surrounded by the everyday reminders of your child. You may find that you can be closer to “normal” when you are away from all the people who know you have lost a child. You, too, may be able to reconnect with your spouse as two hurting but hoping people who care about one another. 

Here are a couple thoughts about how you might find some “rest and refreshment.”

  • Jesus says “come unto me, you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) He will take off you shoulders some of that weight of grief. This sounds like a promise!  
  • God, the Creator, built into the lives of His people, the concept of rest. He created the Sabbath and the year of Jubilee. He intended for you to take a break now and then. Go. Rest and be restored. No guilt.
  • The Psalms talk about rest. Psalm 91:1 says you can rest in under the shelter of His wings, safe and secure. He is your refuge. There’s no fear here.
  • Similarly, Psalm 62:1-2,5 talks about a safe place. God is like a strong fortress, a safe place to hide or take shelter from enemies or from the burning sun.
  • There is renewal in taking time out. Hope. Hoping in our God. He will renew the strength of those who practice this hope. (Isaiah 40:28-31) 

I'm expecting to have a good time and come home refreshed. And I'll be praying for you to that you'll find some rest and refreshment for your heart. Blessings in His grace, which is sufficient for your present needs.  

“My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1-2