Godly Play: The Command to Play for Adult Restoration

I remember a time when life was measured in the rhythm of a jump rope hitting the pavement. My parents would simply say two words: "Go. Play."  

Those words weren't a suggestion; they were a signal of total freedom. Whether it was a game of "Rock, Paper, Scissors" or gathering with friends on the block, play was our outward expression of a joy that is almost indescribable. It was fun in its purest form.  

But somewhere along the way to adulthood, many of us forgot how to speak that language. Do you remember?  

The Blur of Brokenness

For those of us walking the road of recovery from trauma, the very definition of play often becomes a blur. The world around us demands constant production and views play as "extra credit"—something you only get to do once all the "real" work is finished.  

We become like Martha in the Gospel story, distracted by the "much doing," while our souls ache for the "one thing" Mary found at the feet of Jesus. We mistake busyness for fruitfulness, but a fragmented soul cannot flourish.  

Godly Play...The Sacred Margin

Recently I have been defining play (what I now call Godly Play) in a new way: Play is the sacred margin where our fragmentation meets God’s wholeness.  

When we are fragmented, our mind is in the future, our body is stuck in the past, and our heart is shielded behind a wall of numbness. Play is the "re-creational" space where God drops the pieces of our Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength back into alignment. It is the margin where we stop the "serious, somber march" of 'lifing' and simply allow ourselves to exist in God's grace.  

A Holy Dare

Healing doesn't always have to be a heavy labor; sometimes, it is a joyful game. This week, I dare you to reclaim your margin. You don't need a massive life shift—you just need to drop one "checker" into the board of your day:  

• The Truth: Honestly acknowledge the pressure you feel to perform or "stay busy" to feel safe.  

  
  

• The Dare: Commit to an "Authentic Hour." Spend sixty minutes being "unproductive." Do something you genuinely enjoy but have labeled as "useless"—paint, walk without your phone, or bake something just for the joy of it.  

  
  

God is not just the Architect of our work; God is the Author of our joy. The pavement is waiting and the God is calling: It is time to reclaim the language of Godly Play and find your way back to peace.