LIFE: Precious. Beautiful. Exciting. Challenging. Difficult. Real. Raw. Emotional.

Life on this earth is full of wonder and mystery. But let’s face it. Not every day is easy. Not every day feels wonder-FULL. There are days when hitting the ESCAPE button on life is very tempting and we may feel inclined to run away from the pain and challenges in our path.

We have become a culture of masking pain or any twinge of discomfort. We want to get rid of it, instantly, instead of letting the pain mold and teach us. Whether physical pain or emotional pain we are tempted to bury our head in the sand and numb the hurt.

But have we become so accustomed to ESCAPE that we find reasons to escape? Do we dodge and dash away at the first sign of difficulty? Are we escaping to all the wrong places? Places that don’t fill or satisfy?

Hitting the ESCAPE button on life is actually a brilliant idea. But the how, why and with whom of the escape are often misguided and misused. Escaping from pain via harmful habits or behaviors will only mask the symptoms of the issue. This kind of ESCAPE does not resolve the difficulty or heal the pain.

When we seek to find our resting place at the feet of Jesus, hidden away with Christ, we can ESCAPE to a place of healing. As we quiet our hearts before Him, He opens up our minds to present us the compass needed to navigate this life with greater clarity and strength. What we were trying to ESCAPE becomes smaller and more manageable.

Matthew 6:6 (NLT) says, “But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

Safety, rest, peace, hope, encouragement, Truth, love and healing are found when we choose to hide away with Christ. These, and more, are our reward.

Be encouraged today to find your ESCAPE in the loving arms and presence of the Father and who has the power to equip you to walk through your challenges and to face them head on. Hidden away with Him you can find strength to face what may be driving you to ESCAPE in an unhealthy or harmful manner.