Years ago when we lived in our old trailer, the furnace would quit working from time to time. Thankfully my husband figured out the problem quickly. We just had to push the reset button in for a bit, and the furnace started right up again.

There are times when we’re having problems with our wi-fi or electronics working properly. Then it’s time to shut everything down and restart it again. This reset usually does the trick. A restart will also usually help the cell phones to work right again too.

There are also times when the Lord knows that it’s time for a reset for me too. When I get stuck in a rut, crawling through life, going through the motions of a dead-end routine day after day, it’s time for a reset. When I get caught up in the busyness of life, spinning my wheels but not moving forward to accomplish anything of importance, I need to stop and restart again.

This summer the Lord provided a very pleasant reset for me. He opened up a new hobby of photography that I greatly enjoyed. It got me outside again, going for walks along our country roads to see the beauty that surrounds me. 

I have always loved the beauty of nature, but as I looked at it with new eyes through the lens of my cell phone, it opened up a whole new world for me. It gave me a renewed appreciation for God’s creation as I took photos of the beautiful wildflowers all around me, the sweeping mountain vistas, old barns and unusual bark on stately trees.

These walks also helped me to start living in the present moment. As I walked along looking for the next sign of beauty to photograph, I learned to just enjoy being in that moment. I wasn’t thinking about what I had to do when I got home or all the things I was behind on. For that time, I was fully present and fully alive. It was a much-needed reset.

This reset then opened the door for other new ventures. Sometimes we just need to do something new to get out of the ruts we’re stuck in. The Lord gave me ideas to make three dimensional displays to showcase my photos, which my husband helped to create. This led to a whole new line of unique gifts for our business.

But after throwing myself into these new projects for months, I let myself get out of balance, and it was time for another reset. This time wasn’t as pleasant though. When I overdo and push myself too much, my body eventually says enough and I get sick. So now I’ve had to stop and rest for a couple weeks, but soon I will be able to restart again.

I am very thankful that the Lord provides these times to reset and restart to keep me on the path that He has marked out for me. We need to pay attention to this provision. But God has also provided us with daily times to reset and restart.

Whenever we feel stressed, fearful, anxious, worried or burdened, we can stop and refocus on the Lord. As we cry out to Him for help, He will fill us with His peace that passes understanding, and give us all we need to go on with our days with His help. He is closer than the mention of His name.

Hope Ministries is a Christian counseling center, and we are here to help. If you would like to speak confidentially with someone, give us a call at 845-482-5300.

Hope Ministries is a Christian counseling center, and we are here to help. If you would like to speak confidentially with someone, give us a call at 845-482-5300.