It has been a while since I’ve done anything “The Reclassified” related. I’ve been incredibly busy with work, studying for my PE exam, I had to attend numerous family events, studying like crazy preparing to preach sermons, and just trusting God in everything He has been preparing me for. For the past few months, my plate has been full, and I noticed that in all of it, days would go by when I wouldn’t spend personal time with the Lord. I’m not talking about gathering at church or sermon prep, I’m talking about forgetting about everything currently going on in my life, and sitting down and spending one-on-one time with just myself and God.

This began to really itch at my heart because, although I was accomplishing a lot during that span of time, what really rubbed me the wrong way was that I was doing all of that while neglecting personal time with God. And that didn’t sit well with me. Especially considering the fact that I understood that it was because of God, not myself, that all of this was getting done. Besides, Jesus tells us in Scripture,

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” – Mark 8:36 (KJV)

What was the point in all of those things if I allowed them to continue to take up all of my time and either give God the leftovers or nothing at all? For everything God has done, not just for me, but for everyone, He deserves our best, not our leftovers. So I decided that it was time to realign my purpose back to the one He set for me and to refocus my priorities. So I scheduled a solo getaway trip to Asheville with the intent to fully embrace the love of God and to dedicate every second of it to spending time with God. Whether it was sightseeing, studying, praying, etc. I was preparing myself to experience a mental fast where I would relieve myself of all of the responsibilities I was doing on a daily basis.

So I took the 2+ hour drive up to Asheville and got to my destination, which was a small wood cabin in a fairly secluded area. It was very peaceful, I could hear the beautiful sounds of nature all around me, and as soon as I arrived, I just felt a sense of peace. I knew immediately that I would get out of this getaway exactly what I intended for it. Later that day, the first thing I did was go to Ingles (which seems to be the most popular store in Asheville) and pick up groceries, fruits, and other things that I needed. I was already having a great time.

While I was there, I had opportunities to drive through some of the Blue Ridge Parkway, go to the Biltmore house, and visit the Billy Graham Cove. I also drove through the city and everyone that I encountered there was really nice. During the nights, I was able to really focus on studying the Word, meditating on it, having deep prayer, and much more. I could feel myself being realigned.

What I learned during this getaway is that sometimes it is necessary to do exactly that . . . “Get away”. To take a break. Allow yourself to experience the presence of God on a deeper level by removing yourself from other distractions for a time. Sometimes we can get so caught up in what we are doing, that we can lose sight of Who we are doing it for. And this is what had been occurring in my life.

I know that taking breaks sometimes is something that all of you may already know. But I just wanted to share my experience because this was the first solo trip I had taken in my life and it helped me greatly to come back and to focus on the Lord in all of the things He has me doing. And experiencing the comforting peace of God while in Asheville spending one-on-one time with Him, I was able to bring that back home and continue prioritizing Him as Lord over my life.

Related Bible Verses To Help

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)

Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)