Having spent the last three years in and out of isolation, most of us are not crazy about timeouts. If you’ve been recovering from a long illness, you don’t want to hear that you should relax and take it easy – spend some quiet time – meditate. When you’ve put in extended hours at your job and someone tells you to slow down, you might feel inspired to push on, but your mind would rather take a vacation. Maybe you’ve turned to an artificial way to dumb down your feelings. You’ve gone from being a slave to one thing to exchanging it for another. There are times when we simply need to be alone in a quiet space with no one else around to interrupt our thoughts.

Do you have such a place? For us rustic Tundra people, we can count on at least half a year filled with snow, ice, treacherous roads, broken bones, colds, flu and on and on. We manage to survive, but usually succumb to cabin fever about this time of the year. How do we crush the feelings of being in bondage for all that time? Eventually, if there is more than one of you under the same roof, it becomes a time of tension, too much of each other, too much conversation, too much. As much as you love each other, you often get on the other’s nerves. When that happens, what do you do? Where do you go? How do you cope? Who will listen to you?

When Jesus began His ministry, He spent 40 days in the desert. During that time, He was tempted by Satan but used the Word of God to fight Him off. Many times, during His life, He would retreat to a quiet place and talk to His heavenly Father. His schedule was full. He grew hungry and tired. He needed some space. When we feel that way, we can go anywhere to be alone, but also know that God is right there with us. He will help us sort through the difficulties we’re facing. He hears our voice before we ever utter a word. He will guide us to answers to the things that tug at our hearts and souls.

Life on this earth will never be perfect, but if we remember what Jesus said to His followers as well as us, we can look forward to the hope and promise of heaven.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John16:33