Time-Out

Time-out is a term most parents are super familiar with. It is defined as a method of discipline that involves removing a child from social interaction and placing him or her in a non-stimulating environment, essentially to have them reflect upon their behavior.

However, in this blog post I want to reflect on a surgical time-out and some matters that stood out to me recently. 

Some of you might know that I started working as a procedural nurse in a new department last year. Per protocol, the medical team does a "time-out" before the procedure/ surgery. This is a process in which the entire team does an immediate pause and actively participates to confirm that the correct procedure is being performed on the correct patient and the correct site. Any safety concerns pertaining to the procedure are verbalized to alert everyone involved. This is essential in order to avoid safety issues. 

A few weeks back something subtle happened after we did a time-out on a patient we were going to do a procedure on. After we were done, the patient smiled and said, "It's my turn now. I need a few seconds to do a time-out as well!" We stood there suprised, not knowing what to expect. The patient held her hands up and prayed," Dear Lord, I give this entire medical team into your mighty hands. Give them wisdom, understanding and patience to do all that they need to do,  correctly, in order to care for me the best way they can. I bless each of them in Jesus' name."

And we all said Amen! 

It was a beautiful moment for me. I was having a very hectic day at work, but this simple prayer of complete trust and dependency in the Master shifted my perspective. Even, while driving back home, tired as I was, I couldn't stop smiling, thinking about the beauty of this simple prayer. My patient reminded me that day to do a time-out! 

So often, we are caught in the busyness and mundane of life. We move from one thing to the next without realizing that days and months are just passing by. With each passing day, we grow older, and our time on this earth grows shorter. 

C.T Studd, who was a British missionary and spent his life in dedicated service to the Lord, serving in China, India and Africa, put it in this poem beautifully---

Two little lines I heard one day,

Traveling along life’s busy way;

Bringing conviction to my heart,

And from my mind would not depart;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Soon will its fleeting hours be done;

Then, in ‘that day’ my Lord to meet,

And stand before His Judgement seat;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice,

Gently pleads for a better choice

Bidding me selfish aims to leave,

And to God’s holy will to cleave;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years,

Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;

Each with its clays I must fulfill.

living for self or in His will;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore,

When Satan would a victory score;

When self would seek to have its way,

Then help me Lord with joy to say;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep,

In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;

Faithful and true what e’er the strife,

Pleasing Thee in my daily life;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn,

And from the world now let me turn;

Living for Thee, and Thee alone,

Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one,

Now let me say, “Thy will be done”;

And when at last I’ll hear the call,

I know I’ll say “twas worth it all”;

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

__ extra stanza __

Only one life, ’twill soon be past,

Only what’s done for Christ will last.

And when I am dying, how happy I’ll be,

If the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.

In the mundane of our life, as we go about all the things that are competing for our time and attention, may we do a time-out and reflect that all of our efforts to attain worldly things will end in our grave. What lasts will solely be what we invest into the kingdom of God. Only those things we do to expand God's kingdom will be carried beyond our grave. For a child of God that lives with an eternity perspective, it should be easy to let go of earthly things and focus on things that impact eternity. 

When we time-out (pause), we should take some time to:

1. Look back and REFLECT on the ways God has led us. I personally take time to do this seriously at least once a week. It keeps me grounded and humble and strengthens my faith in the Lord. It reminds me yet again that if God has led us thus far faithfully, He can be trusted to be our Jehovah Jireh going forward!

2. Surrender oneself in the hands of God and say, Lord, help me to remain aligned to your will. Have your way in my life. Remember always--- "The will of God will never lead us where the grace of God does not sustain us."

So, RE-ALIGN yoursef yourself to the will of God. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Romans 15:13 NIV

3. RE-PRIORITIZE things in life to see where we stand based on the standards of God's Holy Word. Are we mere talkers or do our actions match up with our words? Let His Word remain our guiding principle. 

I pray each of us live our life in this world in sync with God's will for our life! Our time on earth is limited.Let us make the most of it for the glory of His name.

RESOLUTIONS –a waste of time??

Where do we stand with our resolutions as we have completed the second week in February? I am pretty sure almost all of us, just like me, had taken many new resolutions as we approached the new year 2023 with a lot of anticipation. But, are resolutions biblical? Or are they even useful or just a waste of time? There was a time in my life when I would feel down towards the end of the year thinking I had hardly done anything I had resolved to do at the start of the year. I am sure many of you can relate to me; but I have realized that it does not have to be that way. 

Benjamin Franklin said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” I have to agree. Having no plan or strategy sets us up for failure even before we start. What is it that you have resolved to do or achieve this year? Your goals could be physical, emotional or even spiritual like most of mine are.

Have you decided to work on your weight loss goal by spending more time in physical activity or cutting down portion sizes in each meal? Have you decided to cut down time unnecessarily spent on internet surfing or watching TV? Have you resolved to eat healthier by meal planning and cooking more food at home and cutting down junk food? Have you decided to work on your emotional health by learning to say no when you need to or to work on the anger issue you have been struggling with? Spiritually, some of you may have resolved to enhance your Bible reading experience by starting a Bible reading plan or by improving your tithing or giving habits this new year. Have you decided to spend more time in prayer and intercession or to volunteer one day a month at an organization? 

This last Sunday, I happened to talk to someone who was telling me about his weekend. In our conversation, he mentioned that he planned to spend the rest of his day home as he had to catch up on his Bible reading and had to read 2 books on that day. He told me that he had resolved this year to read the entire Bible in 66 days! He also mentioned that he was 1 day behind because on Saturday, he was out volunteering at an organization which works to introduce the gospel to kids. Guilt-stricken, as I was, I began to introspect my own life while driving back home. While I felt happy for this person, I felt ashamed of myself.

I once had a friend mention to me that she had given up on making resolutions for the New year because she was always failing which made her feel depressed. Why is it that we fail to achieve our goals or give up on our new year resolutions? We need to make sure that we set realistic goals. Also, we must be intentional about achieving our goals and work towards them. It cannot just be wishful thinking!

It helps to have strategic plans in place to achieve our goals. For example, a person who has resolved to lose weight cannot stay in bed for 2 extra hours and not devote time to physical exercise. Eating healthier meals involves cutting down on junk food and processed fats and sugar. Set daily, weekly and monthly goals to get to your target. Set a time at the end of a week or every two weeks to see how you are doing and how you could improve things. Our resolutions fail because we are not willing to make sacrifices necessary to reach them.

The real problem however, is within ourselves– within our hearts and minds. We find ourselves tripped by our own weaknesses and moral failures. Apostle Paul says in Romans 7:18 that “I have the desire to do good but I cannot carry it out.” We all aspire to be better people. We desire our future to be better than our past or at least the future of our children to be better than ours. The solution lies in turning to God. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things, through Christ who gives me strength.” Recognize and acknowledge that your strength lies in Christ! Give your decisions, plans and resolutions and make sure they align with God’s will for your life. 

It is also important that we give ourselves grace in this journey called life. We are human beings with limitations of time and energy. Life is not straightforward all the time. Following through on simple commitments can become huge when bombarded with life’s uncertainties. In addition, the attacks of the evil one will challenge us at every turn. Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”

So, my friends, I challenge you to analyze where you stand with your resolutions. Spiritual resolutions do honor your creator, God. Depend on the Lord and the guidance of the Holy spirit to achieve your goals. Set realistic goals and be intentional in achieving them. Be prepared to make sacrifices. 

Peace be with you

One of my favorite hymns written by Helen H. Lemmel is Turn your eyes upon Jesus. 

“Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in his wonderful face

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim

In the light of his glory and grace.”

In one of the most desperate moments of my life, when I was distraught with everything I had to deal with, the Holy Spirit particularly ministered to me through these words. Since then, this hymn has been a favorite, and I like to sing this in my personal meditation time. What these words remind us is an exciting truth that an “unshakeable peace” is available to all who turn the eyes of their heart away from the world and towards Jesus.

When life’s trials strike us as horrible blows, how does a Christian maintain a sense of calmness and spiritual balance? The portion of Scripture where the disciples lose all hope in the middle of the storm at sea while finding their Master, Jesus, calmly sleeping used to amaze me. Often at times, we, too, are just like that; we throw our hands up in the air and ask our Savior, “Do you really not care for me?” We need to remember that the One who controls the winds and the waves is with us. He carries us and can calm every raging storm in our life. The key is found in a close, abiding relationship with Jesus Christ.

No one outside of God is capable of handling our life’s problems. All human beings have limitations, and God never meant for us to be strong on our own. He wants us to look to Him for strength, courage, and hope. In the current times, many around us deal with severe anxiety. We need to recognize anxiety as the opposite of peace. Being chronically anxious can leave us bundled up in worry and fear. We tend to lose our spiritual focus and slowly de-align ourselves from the will of God for our lives.

In Philippians 4:6-7, Paul admonishes us to “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus”. For us to be able to give EVERYTHING to God, we need to abide in our Savior; otherwise, the enemy will easily sow seeds of doubt and fear in us. To dispel rising anxiety, we need to accept God’s sovereignty and trust Him to provide what is best for us in His time. A child of God who abides by God and His Word is not easily frazzled by the unexpected events of life. He rests in His Master, “being confident that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Psalm 57 was written by David at one of the most difficult points in his life when he had fled from Saul into the cave. It reads, “ Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me, for in you I take refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me…. God sends His love and faithfulness.” (Ps 57: 1-3) The only reason David could write with such confidence about His God is because He had an unshakeable peace within His heart that God would protect His life and fulfill His promises.

My friend, does something trouble you today? Has any situation, conflict, or sickness escalated beyond your control? Do you feel anxious about tomorrow? Jesus’ words in John 20:19 are a comfort to us – “Peace be with you.” Remember always that God’s peace is unshakeable because there never has or will never be a time or event when God has felt unsettled or panicked.

Let His peace overflow in your hearts today. He understands that life can be difficult –but He has a solution for us in Him. He is the giver of supernatural peace. Let us tap into this unexhausted resource. Remember to keep your focus on God. Only then can we accomplish great and mighty for our Master.