THE POWER OF A SPIRITUAL VACATION
Once we’ve abandoned the assumption that vacation is ONLY about fun and relaxation, it’s important to understand all that our family vacations COULD be. And even more importantly than that, we need to know what God wants our vacations to be. It may seem a little strange to turn something as lighthearted and fun as vacation into something with spiritual significance. Many Christians see a relationship with God as something that inhabits a portion of their life. They divide their lives like a pie, and each slice has its place... God, family, work, fun, and so on. But God’s Word paints a different picture. The biblical way to live life is where a relationship with God serves as the substance that fills all the other areas of our lives like the filling of the pie.
But here’s the great news. Your vacation (assuming you take one) can be that amazing time of connection, relaxation, fun, and even growth in your relationship with God that you’ve always dreamed of. All it takes is a vacation with a purpose. It means using this amazing resource of paid time off and maximizing it with a powerful goal. VACATION ON PURPOSE The best way to make sure that something happens on purpose is to have a purpose! We’ll cover this more in detail a little later, but the thing to realize here is that you can’t just stumble into a spiritual vacation. It’s a choice you have to make. Time away from the normal routine of life is a powerful means for lasting change. In fact, many studies have shown that changing surroundings can significantly help the process of change. Our minds and hearts are often much more open to new thoughts or behaviors when everything around us is also new and different. Moreover, Jesus gave us a pattern in Scripture of taking strategic time away for spiritual purposes. He spent hours away from the busyness of life to pray and spend time with His Father. Having your family together for several days is also a valuable opportunity. Today, it’s easy to be in the same room without being together. It’s easy to talk to someone without actually knowing them. Many people have good intentions about specific conversations they want to have with their kids or their spouses, yet often those things go unsaid because the time doesn’t feel right. A family vacation can provide the time, energy, and context needed to solve these kinds of problems.
A “CHURCHY” VACATION DOESN’T SEEM VERY FUN
Now you may be imagining what a “spiritual vacation” might be like. You imagine long quiet (i.e. boring) days filled with prayer, fasting, and Bible study. Surely there won’t be very much laughter and absolutely no sleeping in.
That’s NOT what we’re saying! Again, the key thing to ask is, “What does GOD want this vacation to be?”
• How might God want to draw your family together through fun, conversation, or prayer? • How could you lead your family to a deeper relationship with God over the course of your time together? • Could your vacation serve not only for physical and emotional health but also for spiritual health? A spiritual vacation doesn’t necessarily mean “churchy;” it just means a vacation on purpose. It means being intentional with the money, time, and relationships that a family vacation represents.
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