The Sacred Gift of Stepping Back

By Camille Mc Millan Rambharat

This year, I found myself learning, once again, the sacred discipline of stepping back. Not stepping away forever, not withdrawing out of frustration or fatigue, but pausing intentionally and prayerfully with a heart open to God’s quiet correction.

In September, I decided that in October I would take time off from my volunteer role at the Hospice. That decision did not come easily. My time with families, caregivers, and those nearing the end of life is work I hold close to my heart. It reminds me of what truly matters: presence, compassion, and the quiet ministry of simply being there. But as the month approached, I sensed the Holy Spirit tugging at me to rest. I felt God reminding me that I cannot pour from an empty place and that even meaningful work needs room to breathe.

I made a similar decision for November. For the first time in a long while, I stepped back from writing my weekly column for The Catholic News’ Women’s Blog. Writing has been one of the great joys of my life. It is how I process, how I share, and how I serve. Yet I knew I needed to honour that same gentle nudge to rest, reset, and release. Pausing the column felt strange at first, almost like part of my weekly rhythm was missing. But it also revealed something important. It showed how easy it is to cling to the things we love without noticing when God is inviting us to slow down, reflect, and replenish.

Now December is almost here, and I am choosing another intentional pause. This time, I am stepping away from a few personal projects and commitments that I normally pour my energy into. Not because they are unimportant and not because I am stepping away permanently, but because I feel a deep desire to sit quietly with God and create space before the new year begins. I want to reflect on where I have been, where I am going, and where God may be gently redirecting me.

These pauses over the past two months have taught me something unexpected. Stepping back does not mean stepping away from purpose. In fact, it often deepens it. In resting, I noticed the places in my spirit that needed tending. I realised how often I keep going out of routine rather than reflection. I discovered that the very roles I cherish can overwhelm me if I do not allow myself to breathe between them.

Rest is not a retreat from life. It is preparation for it.

In Scripture, we see Jesus modelling this so clearly. Before major decisions, after long periods of ministry, and even when people sought Him out, He withdrew to quiet places to pray. If the Son of God Himself paused to reconnect with the Father, why do we sometimes feel guilty for doing the same. Even during the storm on the sea, Jesus slept. His rest was not avoidance; it was alignment.

Taking these intentional breaks allowed me to come face-to-face with an important truth. I want to show up fully charged, not depleted. I want my service to be joyful, not obligatory. I want my writing to be Spirit-led, not hurried. I want my presence, whether at the Hospice, in my ministry, or in my everyday life, to be authentic, attentive, and rooted in grace.

As we move toward Christmas and the end of the year, I am inviting myself, and perhaps inviting you as well, to consider what deserves a gentle pause. Maybe it is a role, a project, a routine, or even a habit that no longer serves the season you are entering. Maybe God is calling you into a deeper place of reflection. Maybe your spirit is craving silence, slowness, or simply room to breathe.

Whatever it may be, I hope you allow yourself the gift of stepping back. Because in doing so, you may find that God fills the space with clarity, peace, and renewed strength.

And when we return, whenever that is, we come back more grounded, more present, and ready to serve with a fuller heart.

Camille Mc Millan Rambharat