The Restoring Power of Silence

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.    Isaiah 30:15  NIV

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.     Psalm 46:10-11   NIV

   We battle restlessness.  It’s a common human condition.  Even when we are quiet, our minds may be racing with countless thoughts or filled with worries. This is why the early church father Augustine wrote, “O God you have made our hearts and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you.”

   The best way to overcome restlessness and anxiety is to be still in God’s presence.  It’s excruciating for some of us to do this, but it is needed.  How can we do this? 

   Start easy by setting aside 3 to 5 minutes per day to be quiet in God’s presence in a place with no distractions.  It might be in your car before you go into work or in your house before anyone else is awake or somewhere outside.  Once you are in a distraction free place, quietly thank God that HE IS with you.  Affirm his power to work out all things for your good no matter what happens in life.  Affirm your trust in God to give you everything you need to handle whatever comes your way. Surrender yourself completely to God’s love and wisdom and surrender any anxiety you have to him, whether it’s about that day or another day in the future.   It may feel like a battle sometimes, but it is always worth it.

Profitable Pondering

“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”     Hebrews 12:3  NIV

   

    Consider.  Ponder.  Reflect.  Contemplate.  We don’t do much of these and I believe that’s just the way the devil likes it.  The less we think about what we do, the more likely it is that we will get stuck in some difficult and discouraging ruts.

    We should expect difficulty because Jesus faced strong opposition in his pursuit of living to please the Father in a broken and selfish world.  For sure, we will get wonderful tastes of kingdom life while we live on this planet.  We will enjoy samples of what it will be like to live in God’s presence forever.  The more we learn to trust God, the greater our experience will be, even in the middle of this broken world. 

    But it is this broken world that can discourage us and derail us.  It can cause us to “grow weary and lose heart.”  Our best defense against this is to take time to ponder Christ’s life.  He went through persecution and loneliness and dealt with stubborn disciples because the eternal gain was worth the struggle.  This week, set aside some quiet time to ponder what Christ went through for you.   Renew your belief that these battles against sin and suffering are worth fighting and that he wants to give you his strength to fight them.

Centering Prayer and the Priceless Treasure of God's Kingdom

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.    Matthew 13:45-46 NIV

 

 

It's been said that undivided attention may be the world's scarcest resource. One thing for sure is that a lack of focused attention hinders our walk with God.  This weekly "SPA" is all about practices you can use to increase the attention you give to God, which in turn helps you trust him, which in turn helps you to experience the good life he offers us. Even better, the more we experience God's goodness, the more it flows through us to others so they can trust his goodness, too.

There are all kinds of practices, some well known and some less known. One practice is called "centering prayer". A "centering prayer" is a brief prayer we pray often, with sincerity, that helps us reconnect with God and his great goodness. Sometimes it helps to close your eyes or breathe deeply while you pray this prayer. This week, try using this "centering prayer" several times a day to help you remember the priceless value of God's Kingdom and increase your desire to seek his kingdom first. You can write it on an index card to carry it with you while you learn it.

 

"Father, you are the only good and great King. Your kingdom is better than anything this world has to offer. Please open my eyes to see more of the beauty and greatness of your kingdom and give me strength to seek your kingdom above everything else today."