Since childhood, I’ve always tried to fill most of the minutes of the day. At graduation from high school, I was given the annual award for the senior with the most school-related activities. Even to this day, I have the constant impulse to fill my days with something; and it’s common to feel just a little guilty if I have an empty time slot.

My wife, Anne, has been reminding me that’s it’s ok to take a break from time to time. While I often still have some misgivings about having a little free time, at 75 years of age I am finally learning to take a little break and “smell the roses.”

What has this to do with faith? While I’ve filled some of those less active times with prayer, I have found that freeing myself up from the constant pressure of “doing” has led to times of greater meditation on the richness of God’s many blessings in my life. And, it has given me a better opportunity to concentrate on my prayer life. A favorite chair is not only good for watching a television show, reading a book, or taking a nap. It has enriched my personal prayer time. I now realize that becoming too busy to pray deeply has put a dent in my personal discipleship and kept me from being truly invested in someone’s life—if only from time to time.

It’s o.k. to take a little time off. It will not only benefit you; it will also add strength and depth to the things you do to show God’s Love to those who need your sincere efforts to answer Christ’s command that we love others as Christ love us.

Michael O’Bannon, Pastor