Vacation – “a period of time devoted to pleasure, rest or relaxation.”
It’s helpful for me to focus on the words “a period of time”. Why? Because even after all of these years, I still put too much into the idea of a vacation. I start looking at my calendar months before I am supposed to leave. I say things to myself like, “How good will it be to have all that time away”. I convince myself that it is just what I need, and that I will be so much better off when I return. Somehow, in my mind, “a period of time” turns into months of disengaging from the world and doing nothing but sitting at a pool side, sipping refreshing drinks, enjoying my family, and curling up with a book. In my “vacation”, there is no driving, no days ticking off the calendar, no expenses, no frustrations. Nope. Pure fun.
I am getting ready to go on vacation next week, but this time around I am trying to better prepare myself by saying things like “it is for a period of time” and that it will contain some of the un-pleasantries that I just mentioned.
Why do we put so much stock in our vacations? I know I am not alone. When I hear others talk about their upcoming vacations they have that look in their eyes, and a tone in their voice that says they are ready to go to their forever paradise. Often, when they come back, they are so relaxed and joyful, and they rave about how great it was. That lasts about two days. Then, it seems that whatever their level of stress was before their vacation is quickly recaptured … as if the vacation never happened.
I think that vacations have their place, and I am blessed to go on them, but they are not going to give me the peace I seek. That is because the peace I seek is the type that only the Lord can give. It is a deep-seated peace. It is a peace that passes my understanding. It is a peace that is present even during times of hardship. It is the peace that comes when, through the Holy Spirit, God calms me, assures me, comforts me, and reminds me who He is and how much He loves me. It is a peace that comes when God reminds me that this world is not my home, and that I will be with Him for all eternity, and that the things that trouble me now are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed. It is the peace that comes when He shows me that His grace is sufficient for me, and that I can do nothing apart from Him. It is the peace that comes when I surrender to Him, and tell Him over and over again that He is the Lord, and therefore Lord over my life. Lastly, it is the peace that comes when I walk in obedience to Him, and consider that His plans for my life are perfect, and that He is sovereign over all things. The problem is that I rob myself of that peace whenever I think in ways that are contrary to these truths.
In a way I feel a little foolish. I think that through my life I have looked to my vacations and days off as the best chance I have for peace, and so I exert lots of time and energy into maximizing their potential. No, the better approach is for me to keep coming back to the only true source of peace, Jesus Christ. If, by His grace, I can learn to rest in Him more and more as the years go by, then I can enjoy more of the peace that vacations can never offer.
I don’t know if you have a vacation coming up. If you do, I hope it is amazing for you. My only advice to you is the advice I am sharing with myself. Be thankful that God has given you this vacation, this “period of time devoted to pleasure”, but before you go, and when you return (and yes, while you are on it …), build your relationship with Christ in whatever way you can. Ask Him to work in you to bring you His peace. I am confident that if this becomes our pursuit, we will enjoy peace for longer “periods of time”, and it will be only because of His grace.
“ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)
For Jesus,
Rob