Halt is such a startling word. Just writing it makes me feel a tinge of worry and fear as images come into my brain of an angry person shouting at me because I have somehow gone where I was not supposed to be. I envision it being used by people who are in positions of authority who want me to immediately stop and listen.

HALT is also an acronym that is sometimes used as a reminder for people who are struggling with an addiction or unhealthy habit.

• Hunger — physical, emotional, or spiritual
• Anger
• Lonely — from isolation, fear, or doubt, and can even happen around others
• Tired — being too busy and not taking breaks

We can make poor decisions when we experience any of these feelings on their own or in combination. I’ve experienced all four at once. Sometimes on family trips we pack a day too full and don't plan our food well. We will walk far distances (tired), not eat anything (hungry), not see an end in sight (lonely), and become angry with each other. That’s when we just need to halt and seek a time to rest, refresh, regroup, and reconcile. Often, we can then laugh at ourselves and how we acted when we were “hangry."

This past Sunday, Pastor Lindsay shared a message based on Acts 4:32-35. In it we see a picture of the early church where the believers shared everything with one another and spent time together. It is a wonderful story that is quite a contrast to the way many of us live. This type of life can be an anecdote to experiencing HALT if we are willing to enter a Christian life of faithfulness filled with LoTS. What is LoTS? It is a life where we:

• Love more — by seeing people first and, as Pastor Lindsay said, we are like-minded because we actually like the minds of others.
• Truth more — by being honest with ourselves and others
• Share more —by relying on others rather than being alone and independent

I love the idea of less HALTs and more LoTS in my life. How might you pause when you are hungry, angry, lonely, or tired and change direction to love more, truth more, and share more?

If you would like to learn more about HALT, check out this website. Learn more about LoTS from Pastor Lindsay’s sermon and reading Acts 4.

Tags: Faith · Originally published on stephen.braunius.org