This past week I had the opportunity to spend a night with my wife at a condo. This condo is high in the Tusher mountains well over 10,000 ft and there is no television, no internet access, and most notable no cell phone coverage.
I must admit, upon arriving, I felt a bit lost! Without any of these “life necessities” there was no way to manufacture a crisis’s or stir up a distraction. I felt totally disconnected and out of touch.
As the night settled, I found myself talking with my wife, really talking. I found my nerves settling, and my spirit calmed. The following morning as I woke, several key issues that I had been wrestling with had a new and sharp level of clarity. It was not until the next day that I actually realized how tense and tight I had been and what it felt like to be calm and relaxed. As I descended the mountain, I dreaded hitting the on button on the cell phone and “returning to reality”.
We live in such a fast paced interrupt driven world that often times we assume that the never ending cell phone calls and text messages are reality. The truth is, they are not. Although these are nice conveniences, they are often distractions and cripple us from focusing on the really important things in our lives.
After this experience, I realized how important it is that we take time away and consciously shut off the cell phones, turn off the TV, and deliberately communicate with our loved ones. I contend that doing this will not only make us happier, but also more effective and efficient.
Where did Christ go just before he began his ministry? (Matthew 4:2 JST) Where did he go with Peter, James and John upon transfiguration? (Mark 9:2) Where did he go to gain strength just before the Garden of Gethsemane and eventually his crucifixion? (Luke 22:39)
Isn’t it interesting that before each major event in Christ’s life he gained strength by retreating to the wilderness or to a mountain?
I challenge each of us (particularly myself), to daily find time to “Go To The Mount” where we can break through all of the noise and clutter that we seem to engulf ourselves in. Let us each find our own wilderness, in times of trial where we can gather strength. As we do so, we will be calmer, and find more purpose in our lives.
