This week I returned to my office after taking ten days off work.  It was a much-needed break after a long year filled with work, changes, and unusual decisions.  When I say I took these days off, I mean I took them off completely.  I stopped reading my Bible, doing my Core52 workbook, listening to sermons, reading, and exercising.  The only thing I did was pray during the time.  Otherwise, I shut my brain down into low gear for the holidays. 

It was terrific to clear my head and get out of my routine.  This year has been draining, and I needed time to recharge my emotional battery for the year that lies ahead.  Once I was done resting, I found it extremely difficult to get going again.  In just ten days, I found my drive was gone.  It was hard for me to push myself back into a routine once I had left it.  Monday morning came early, exercise was draining, and I just wanted to quit. I was drowsy during my Bible reading and struggled to get anything done.  It took ten days to unravel months of daily patterns. 

This past year, many of us had to change our habits.  We stepped back from Church, from serving others, especially in the body of Christ, from godly relationships, and from the Christian activities that generally fill each week.  Now comes the hard part, somehow you have to get back to a good and Godly place.  Now it is time to call upon all the Spirits’ powers to get back into emotionally, physically, and spiritually healthy routines. 

Everyone needs a break sometimes.  We need moments of rest and recalibration.  The difference between people who have successful seasons in life and those who live continually productive lives is not the downtime they take.  It is the drive to get going again once they have had taken their time off.  Getting started is half the battle and getting started again is the other half.