"I Want To Escape!"

By Max D. Hutto ©
www.upwardlook.org

We have all been there. We have had just about as much of life with its stress and turmoil that we can stand. All we want to do is escape, to get away for a while, to change our thoughts and actions. When you feel like you are about pop, you dash away to some secret quiet place and hid there. You do not want anyone to disturb you. You want to be away from all that stress.

Where do you go and what do you do to escape? Do you have a specific place or a specific event? What causes you to rejuvenate?

I do several things to escape. One is to watch tv. I am sure that many, many people do that same thing. Our culture is caught up in the tv and movie fantasy world. I know I have a number of things on VCR tape and now more and more on DVD that I use to divert my mind for a while. To get totally engrossed in an old John Wayne western or war movie is just about the best. I have for years used tv as a way to stop my mind from thinking about my world and escape for a while into the fictional or past times.

Another way I escape is by playing computer games. I enjoy playing sports and card games on this computer. I am looking for something that causes me to think and concentrate on something totally different. I escape into the fantasy world of scoring 18 under par for 18 holes of golf or throwing the winning touchdown pass in the Super Bowl.

Another way I escape is by reading a good book. This is another way of jumping into some fantasy world. I have to admit that I do not read as much for fun as I use to growing up. Nevertheless, I still enjoy it.

These are a few of the things that I do to get away from it all. Many people use these to get away from the pressure of life. However, the best way is not used as much and that is to get alone with God. He wants us to spend time with Him. He wants to hear us talk to Him about whatever is on our mind. He wants to speak to us. He speaks in many ways, but mostly by the Holy Spirit through the Bible. We hear God's voice when we read the Bible. He wants us to have fellowship with Him. He will renew our strength and refresh our minds.

There are many ways to escape the pressures of life. What do you do? I challenge you to turn off the tv and computer and find a quiet place to spend some time with God and His Word, the Bible. Will you take that challenge?