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How Are You?
How Are You?It’s been a little over a week now. You’ve come down from the mountain. Your heart might still be in the clouds, but your feet are back on the ground. Whatever “normal” is, it’s probably back in full force. Maybe the weekend is still carrying you.
Was it different? Or was it another weekend away with good moments and great worship and the break you needed from whatever your reality is but now things are getting back to the way they were? Or are you having a hard time putting a finger on what the weekend was for you?
How do you hold on to what you heard? How do you keep something from the rearview mirror in front of you without going backwards?
This is a good time for a conversation about rhythms. In Spiritual Formation, we would explore various practices and “spiritual disciplines” that match well to your disposition and personality. We would encourage you to commit time to those on a daily basis. We would talk about transformation as a process and not a destination. If any of this sounds like a conversation you would be interested in, I would suggest you follow USA East SLD on Facebook and check us out online.
In the meantime, there are a few things you can do wherever you are and with whatever you have to keep God’s voice and His presence at the center.
- Set aside a consistent time block.
- Find a comfortable place with as little distraction as possible. Avoid your desk or the place you sit when you watch tv.
- Use a basket, box or an empty shelf that’s within reach to hold your Bible and devotional or inspirational books. (If you need reading suggestions, we have several online. Search “book review” on saconnects.org or download our Bible-reading plan.)
- Pour a glass of water for yourself and get comfortable.
- Lastly, start by setting a timer and hold yourself to it. (Ten minutes is a good start.)
A busy lifestyle will tell you there’s no time for this. A settled lifestyle will tell you not to try anything new. An insecure lifestyle will tell you it’s not necessary. Commit to the space. Commit to giving God room to continue to speak.
When you sit down before the Lord, you are full.
Make it a goal to drink the entire glass of water during your quiet time. There are a few reasons for this. Most of us are chronically dehydrated and it’s an easy way to put something good into your body. It also serves something of a symbolic purpose. When you sit down before the Lord, you are full. You are full of your thoughts, your tasks, your deadlines, your chores, your responsibilities, your plans and whatever else is filling up your mind. As you drink from the glass, notice it becoming more and more empty. As you spend time with God, empty yourself before Him. Focus on His presence and allow His comfort and peace to fill you back up. You’re likely to find two things through this process. That your body is thirsty more often for water, and that your soul is thirsty more often for Him.
Journal:
Walk through the past few weeks with your words and your thoughts. Jot down emotions and take note of special moments. If you’re struggling with the weekend fading, remember some of the things that took place. If you’re still energized from the seminar, write down the thoughts that have anchored you thus far. It might be helpful to look back and remember them at some point.
Pray:
Ask God for timely reminders. Pray for people you spent time with and for anyone the Spirit brings to your mind. Commit to the steps outlined above and meet God in the space of your day.