In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.
-Mark 1:35

When I dive into the chaos of the world, I dive deep.

I let it wash over me — nearly drown me — because I don’t want to become numb to the many problems we face.

But when I’ve reached my limit? I’ve got to escape.

That collage up above? I’ve employed everything you see there in an attempt to escape when I’m overwhelmed.

Some of them actually work!

What about you? How do you escape? I’d be surprised if your collage looks a lot different than mine. I hope you have some healthy escapes too: A good book, gardening, exercise, and so on.

Jesus needed the occasional escape, too. He walked a lot, which I’m sure produced some endorphins. He seemed to enjoy a good meal, too, which I would never begrudge him.

But when he found himself MAXED OUT, or perhaps even before he got to that point, he picked prayer.

Early in the morning, Jesus went off by himself and found a good place to pray.

I wonder what those prayer times were like?

• Did he find immediate gratification, like I do from a nice nap or a cold beer?
  
• Did he pray formally? Or did he just say, “Hey dad. Having a rough day,” and listen for a response?
  
• Did he do it every morning? Did he set his alarm to get up and stick to a strict regimen?

Those are all good questions, to which we may never know the answer. But I’m darned sure that Jesus’ method for “escaping” was healthier than most of mine.

Blaise Pascal once said, “Distraction is the only thing that consoles us for miseries, and yet it is itself the greatest of our miseries.” So true. I don’t plan on eliminating most of these distractions from my life–but I can’t really rely on them when I’m sinking fast.

Maybe you’re the type to get up early, read a devotion, and run down your prayer list with God. Maybe that shocks your system and fills your cup. If so, that’s awesome.

For me, it’s usually about 20 minutes as I climb into bed. I don’t have a formal prayer. I ponder the meaning of the life. Of God’s place, and my own. I pry open my pain and share it with God. I lay out all my fears and doubts, and then I just drift.

Sometimes, the best times, I sense my spirit there, abiding with God, but also embodied in this difficult world. I discover I can be in two places at the same time.

That’s how I do it. I should maybe do it more, because this “Great Escape” is what keeps me from paddling away from the chaos. What a paradox!

I still have shows in my Netflix queue. I still read about UFO’s and go shopping for stuff. I’m trying to cut down on the doom scrolling (a work in progress).

But, like Jesus, I am clearing space to seek the peace that passes understanding. When I do that, God’s grace raises me up, and I find my head above water.

Which means I’m ready to face the world again,

and dive back in.

Have a great week,

Mitch