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Pray, Work, Rest and Play

Have you found yourself slipping into a rhythm of planning that leaves little space for God’s plans? Given we are living in a fast-changing context, it is not difficult to understand how having a plan of action – however well thought out or prayed through it is or is not – might superficially feel better than having no plan at all.

I have found myself having to actively practise the discipline of pausing to wait on God, and encouraging others to do the same, much more than usual. This pausing has led to me and others taking into account more global perspectives on things like the cost-of-living crisis, and the needs of churches and wider communities.

It has been good to pause and reflect on BMS World Mission’s Good Land harvest material for 2022, which covers experiences in Nepal. It has been insightful to learn how villages there are responding to challenging economic circumstances, as they choose not to compartmentalise work, rest and play, but ‘roll it in all together.’ Space is also being given for chance conversations through which they are finding God at work. There is a captivating image in the material of an entire community in a field of corn, all working together. They are in the field weeding and having fun as they do this, even though it is hard work.

In what can feel like tense, unpredictable and challenging times, my prayer is that we will make time to pray, work, rest and play. In doing so might we also learn from Nepal, that these things may not always need to be compartmentalised.

BMS World Mission’s Good Land Harvest 2022 resources can be found here:

https://www.bmsworldmission.org/news/good-land-a-photo-story/

The thought this week was written by Gale Richards, EBA Regional Minister

Photo Credit -Adrian Infernus on Unsplash