Time Out

Recently, a group of sisters gifted me with a four day vacation to go away with them for a time of reconnection, rejuvenation and relaxation. This time out allowed me to breathe, exhale, and truly enjoy myself without a care in the world. Within a few days of our return, I then decided to disconnect from social media for eleven days in order to spend some alone time with the Lord. The timeout in the beginning wasn't easy, however I dug my heels in as I needed this time to hear, truly hear, without all the noise and the chatter around me. Clarity calls for quietness and in some instances solitude.

As I look at the game of basketball and the reasons that timeouts are used, I thought how appropriate for our personal lives as well. Below are six of the reasons why a time out is called during the game and questions we can ask ourselves:

1. When you spot a mistake/mistakes. When we repeatedly make the same mistakes, we need to examine the reasons for this and for that we call a timeout.

2. To stop the momentum of the opposing team. Momentum wins games if they aren't stopped, as they start with your team mistakes. Our opponents capitalize on these mistakes. What mistakes are we making that the enemy of our soul is capitalizing on in an effort to win the game?

3. To change the strategy both an offense and defense. The Coach is looking at the game with different eyes, the team' strategy has to be modified and changed based on what is happening on the court. What is happening on our courts, that our Coach is seeing and is instructing us to modify or change?

4. To draw a play. When you need a quick basket you must be prepared to draw a play, explain to the players what its about, what you want to get from it and what is expected from the players. On your time out, who needs to be informed and be involved so you can make the best decision?

5. To boost the energy of your team. Your team is winning and you are safe, you can use this time to use players in the reserve to prove that they deserve play time. Who in your squad can you develop so that on your time out they too can make the play?

6. Rest the team. You do this so that others on the bench have an opportunity to play.

Time out is needed to reexamine ourselves and our game plan, develop new strategies and revise old ones. If it is that important in a game, how much more important is it in our own personal lives? We tend to think sometimes that timeout is only required if we are losing, however, we also need it when we are winning. I know you are busy making the plays, however remember that the timeout isn't only for you, it's also for the others on our team who are in the play with us.