It was one of those irresistible photo’s! But the story behind the photo was far from as cute as the little boy holding the dog all dressed up. This is my nephew, and he was, well, some days a handful. He spent much of his summers at our house and we had a few times where we had to redirect his attention, focus, attitude and behavior. It’s called parenting, but since I was the aunt, then maybe it was called “aunting”.
That day he had been mouthy and a bit disrespectful, I think! That’s 34 years ago so I really don’t know but Aunt Marette decided he needed a “time out”. Now mind you I wasn’t a parent- yet but I figured he needed time upstairs to “think about what he said”. Now as a parent, I realize no one ever sent to “time-out” ever thought about what they said they just thought about what to say to get out of more punishment, but at the time it sounded like a good idea. The puppy went with him. It wasn’t long before I heard the quiet voice, “Aunt Marette” and went to the stairs and saw this. Of course I did what any good aunt would do- took a picture.
God puts us in time out many times. Something happens and we end up somewhere we don’t necessarily want to be, for an undisclosed amount of time, with nothing to do but think. There- I defined “time-out” the best I knew how. We didn’t get time outs as a kid- we got a whooping! However, God has placed me in many time outs and I wonder if I am as productive as Marty. Sorry- I said his name. He found something to do that wasn’t just whining, waiting and worrying or even worse, planning more mischief!
When God puts me in time out I whine, worry, walk in circles and wait for the “have you learned your lesson yet speech” from God. God’s time outs aren’t for us to think about what we have done as much as it is to think about what He has done. Slow down the world, change what you are looking at, see things from another angle and mostly quit running like a hamster on a wheel. God gives us some time to rest, refresh and renew: a spiritual time out. We wonder what we have done wrong, work on a defense of why we are where we are, write a novel on how we have been mistreated and then work up a lather because we don’t know what’s coming next. Spiritual time outs, remember the definition, “we don’t necessarily want to be, for an undisclosed amount of time, with nothing to do but think.” recenter our eyes to focus, our heart to love and our words to be intentional. That is, if we let that time out be productive God wants us to take our moments in time-out, the times “where we are places we don’t want to be, for an undisclosed period of time with nothing to do but think,” for us to draw closer to Him . Psalm 73:28
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good;
I have made the Lord God my refuge,
That I may tell of all Your works”
Don’t waste a time out directed by God or others. Find a way to make it productive to draw closer to God, or like Marty just make someone else smile!
Special Touch Ministry 