Just Because I Can Doesn't Mean I Should

When was the last time you took a vacation (or went on holiday; however you’d like to say it)?

It’s different than being at home.
Something changes.
Like a switch goes off (or on).
I could spend my entire vacation in an exact replica of my home, doing exactly what I do at home, and it would still be DIFFERENT.
Why?

I would like to suggest that our MENTALITY changes the moment we wake up and know it’s the first day of vacation. I’m talking, you haven’t packed those last minute things, you haven’t even started driving yet, today is the day we finally leave, first day of vacation.

Our MINDS change from normal to vacation-mode.
I’m pretty sure something similar happens on big days like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and birthdays (don’t believe me? take a few moments and think about it).

This can be a FUN, yet DANGEROUS place to be. It’s fun because we let loose a little and finally start to relax and enjoy life. We escape the daily stress and worries of work and home life and just get away. Don’t get me wrong, this can be a GOOD thing, however not every GOOD thing is a GOD thing.

Read these words from Paul (the dude who said he struggles to do the things he knows he should do and not doing the things he knows he shouldn’t do)…

12You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything.
1 Corinthians 6:12 NLT

I’ve also read it as “everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial” in another translation.

To me, this is the battle cry of vacation! Vacation can be a dangerous place because we lose any sense of WHO WE ARE and HOW WE LIVE. We eat more. We party more. We lay around more. We do all the things we typically can’t do or don’t do and we do it in EXCESS. Raise your hand if you’ve ever lost weight while on vacation? Right…

Then, on the flipside, we tend to NEGLECT the things that actually matter. Bible reading. Prayer. Stuff that can simply be summed up as ALONE TIME WITH GOD. Like I said, our mentality changes. We end up taking a vacation from God because for some sick reason the one relationship that matters most also seems like work, so we take a break from it as well.

Just because you CAN doesn’t mean you SHOULD.

So, next time you’re on vacation, who knows maybe you’re planning one right now or preparing to step out the front door or reading this in the car (hopefully not while driving), plan to rest, relax and get refreshed, but don’t go overboard.

Reflect:

• How does your routine change while on vacation?
• What are the things you DON’T do? Start DOING?
• Why do you (or WE if you don’t want to take ownership of it) tend to vacation from your relationship with God as well?
• What is it about your relationship with God that seems like work?
• Next time you’re on vacation what can you do to fight the desire to do everything in EXCESS?