Dear friends,
Growing up, I was my family’s resident tech support geek, and later even had some brief computer support jobs (despite my apparently useless history degree!). So when the late‑2000s sitcom The IT Crowd ran on TV, I felt very much seen – especially with the immortal line, “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”
It’s funny because it’s true: doing this really does fix a surprising number of tech dramas. But coming back to work this week after a couple of weeks’ annual leave (with a brief diversion at St Giles’ on Sunday morning!) it struck me that it’s not a bad metaphor for life and ministry either.
Anyone with a busy job knows the stress of tying up loose ends before leave, and the backlog of emails waiting on return. It can make you wonder if time off is worth it at all – but I’ve learned it almost always is. Coming back from leave, I’ve been reminded how important that rhythm of “switching off” can be.
Rest isn’t wasted time – it’s God’s gift, woven into creation itself. Even Elijah, weary under the broom tree, was told first to sleep and eat before he could continue his journey. Jesus himself withdrew to quiet places to pray. Renewal comes when we allow ourselves to stop, so that when we “switch back on,” we’re ready to notice God at work again.
Of course, I know that for many – especially parents of young children, or those caring for family members – rest and reset isn’t always straightforward. Switching off may feel impossible when responsibilities are constant. Yet even in those seasons, God’s invitation to renewal remains: sometimes in small pauses, sometimes in unexpected moments of grace, sometimes simply in knowing we are not alone in the work we carry.
Traditionally, Advent was the Church’s season of watching and waiting. But in our culture, that quiet expectancy has often been crowded out by Christmas adverts and sales. Which is why the so‑called Kingdom Season – the weeks between All Saints and Advent – can be such a gift. It offers us a chance to reset before the pre‑Christmas madness begins, to lay down burdens and remember that God’s kingdom is already breaking in, quietly and steadily, even now.
So when we find ourselves weary, perhaps the best advice really is: turn it off and on again – and trust that in the pause, however brief, God is already preparing us for what comes next.
God bless,
Daniel
P.S. – a plug that one opportunity for such a reset may be our benefice quiet morning on Saturday 22 November – have a look at this week’s newsletter for more information.