29 | Believe

Even when I know better, sometimes I wonder...

Why be still?

There are answers that float around my head...  I need to rest.  I need to breathe. Life is too fast.  My faith is so important.  It just feels good.

But here's the real reason, for me at least.  I believe being still is the best way for God to transform me into something more useful to this world.  

Wait.  That sounded kind of utilitarian, like I'm a measuring cup or a tire pump.

I'm not a tool.  I'm not a cog in a machine.

But I hope and pray I am a small but important peace in this amazing puzzle that is God's kingdom on earth.  A small but steady reflection of our Lord's light and grace. A small but sincere arrow, pointing up to heaven and glorifying our God.

Deidre Elzer-Lento via hccny.org

Yes, I'm a teacher.  Yes, I'm a church program assistant.  A mother.  A wife.  A sister and daughter and friend and neighbor.

But at the core, I am a child of God.

WestWillow via Etsy.com

A child.  Young.  Immature.  Growing.  At 45 I figure I'm only halfway to heaven, and God has a lot he can do through me before then.

So how do I best serve God?  How do I best prepare to please Jesus?  How do I humbly invite the Holy Spirit to stir my soul?

www.moritzfineblogdesigns.com

I believe.  And I live out my belief.  I trust in God's transformation.  I go to the well of his word and drink deep.  I pray.  I pray.  And I pray some more. Then I harvest all that God has planted in me, scoop it up in my arms, and carry it out in the world.  I scatter his bounty in my words, my actions, my hugs, and my tears.  In the little details and the big bold statements.  I become a white board for his wisdom.  A mouthpiece for his message.  

Sometimes the proof of my loving God comes out like, "How could you deal with your annoyance over your brother in a more gentle way?"  Or, "What are some ways we can compromise about this weekend's plans?" And, "I'm sorry.  I hope I didn't step on your toes.  If I did, I'll gladly back off." Sometimes it looks like sending an "I'm thinking of you" email.  Or bringing a friend a good book.  And often a ten-minute back scratch.  Even if God's love comes out as something mundane, it is meaningful. 

When I'm rushed and crazed and crowded by earthly things, I don't feel God's nudges to be his hands and feet, his words and ears.  But when I am still in his presence, my belief blossoms into ideas for blessing others.

SpoonLily via Etsy.com

I believe that this is why God has put us on this earth: To love him with our whole hearts, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.  And to live. out. that. love.

We are going to get it wrong sometimes.  We'll confuse God's coordinates and tangle his transmissions.  But it is better to try and trip up, than to ignore God's guidance. We need to be confident in God's ability to bring his plans to fruition.

framedinfaith.blogspot.com

We are going to fail sometimes.  But faith looks that possibility of failure in the face and says, "Not today.  Not if I can help it.  Not if I stand fast with my Lord."  In our moments of stillness and God-breathed focus, we can visualize the unseen, we can perceive God's implausible possibilities, as daunting as they may be.  And we are fueled to forge ahead.

These still, quiet communions with God, these moments of breathing in our belief, allow us to make a sacred space in our souls for our living Lord to dwell.  Then there is no stopping what we can do with God and for God.  We will not fall.  We will stand tall.  We will glow.  And grow.  And glorify him, the basis of our belief.

clengheartsyou.tumblr.com

Lord,

I believe in my heart, in the depths of my soul, that our sweet, still time together is the best gift you have for me.  I believe you take this quiet soaking of faith and use it to transform me.  I believe that when I invite you to sustain me, you will provide all the direction and determination I need to be your presence, right where I am planted. 

Thank you for this opportunity to be still with you today.  Thank you for inspiring me with your goodness and filling me with your love.  Thank you for blessing me with belief.

Amen

23 | Be(low). Be Humble.

It's Day 23 of this series: 31 Days to Be Still.  More and more, after my moments of stillness with God and with you, I wander off and roam the blogosphere.  I'm enjoying discovering other blogs participating in this challenge, to the point where exploring other series almost eclipses my own endeavor to be still.

And the more I read, the more I am humbled.  I'm discovering great writers. Amazing stories.  Soul stirring inspiration.  What on earth can I add to this online conversation that is unique?  How does my voice point people to God — to deeper relationship with God — in a way that doesn't duplicate or sadly shadow these other blogs and voices?

Humble?  Yes.  Helpful?  No.

This kind of I'm-not-worthy humility obliquely questions God's particular plan for me.  It undermines his power to work in me and through me.

Do you ever struggle with these insecurities?  This imposter syndrome of "How did I get here and when is someone going to figure out I don't belong?"

Today we're going to ditch this humble, fumbling internal monologue.  We're going to trade it for a better kind of humility.  A different kind of being low.  Not low on the totem pole, beneath other people, inferior.  This humility is being below God, in a servant stance, under his loving care and direction.  

iwilltrustinyou.org

He must increase, but I must decrease.  John 3:30

In order for God to make bigger and bolder and brighter changes in our lives, we must diminish our insecurities and our ambitions.  We must trust God to create a meaningful impact in our hearts and our lives.  We must recognize that his power and his vision are greater than our own.

lizzylee via Flickr.com

We need to admit that we don't know everything.  Like the lost and frustrated traveler on the highway of life, we need to pull over to the gas station, rest and refuel, and ask God to straighten out our course.  When we call out to God in our need for answers and directions, he can show us the mighty things we can't even begin to imagine.

asundayafternoon.com

Look at this list of imperfect heroes.  Consider what God achieved through each one of them.

We need to admit our faults, but not beat ourselves up for them.  God didn't make us perfect for a very important reason.  In our flaws, God can flow.  God takes our cracks and fissures and shines his brighter light through them.  His grace makes us whole, makes us better than we could ever be on our own.

This kind of reverential humility is the best freedom we can know.  All we need — all God needs from us — is to be still.

In this God-honoring humility, let's still our hearts and minds.  Let's slow down, breathe deep, and focus on his supreme will and way.

Lord,

You know I have a tendency to put pressure on myself, to compare myself with others, to end up feeling of inferior and insecure.  But you are never disappointed in me.  

As long as I keep my focus on you, you can take my deficiencies and use them to proclaim your proficiency.  As long as I recognize my limitations and turn to your limitless wisdom, you can show your perfect power through my imperfections.  Help me to dwell in this relaxed humility of holding you supreme.

So today I ask this: How I can help bring about your will, Lord?  I give you my stuttering voice, my laughing doubt, my inexperience and my mess.  I trust you to fill the gaps and cracks in my abilities.  

I am low.  Humble.  Flawed.  But I am not insecure.  Instead, I stand secure in knowing that you, in your power and wisdom, can lift me up to do your good work.  

When I lay myself low before you, Lord, when I release my doubts and anxieties and trust in your glory and might, that's when I can truly be still.

I need to repeat that, to print that on my heart.  When I rest below you in humble adoration, I. can. be. still.

I can wait, with patience, for you to complete a good work in me.  I can rest knowing you can take me the rest of the way.

Thank you for this reassurance, Lord, this rejuvenation that comes from humble stillness.  Thank you for taking worries and insecurities off my shoulders.  Thank you, most of all, for lifting me up from my low position with the promise of eternal life alongside you in heaven.

Amen

12 | Be Loved

Our senior pastor, John Hogenson, recently said this to our congregation at the annual stewardship dinner.

"I love you.  And I want the very best for you."

It is a personal and powerful message, one that has echoed in my heart for several weeks now.  It is a message that surprised me, in part because Pastor Hogenson's been with our very large church for a only a few short months.  How can he know me enough to love me?  Yet I do not doubt his sincerity.  He exudes God's love in all that he says and does.  

"I love you.  And I want the very best for you."

It is a message that reminds me of how earnestly God loves me.  In every book of the Bible we can find this message from God.  He has created us for an eternity of his love, and he wants us to experience that love fully, abundantly, completely.

"I love you.  And I want the very best for you."

Our God is a loving God.  

In this culture that places conditions and limitations and expectations of love, we sometimes have difficulty embracing the breadth and depth of God's infinite love. We sometimes doubt that in our unworthiness and imperfection, we could truly be loved unconditionally and eternally.  

Really God, you love me?  With all my bumps and blemishes and warts and worries? 

And God answers, simply and sincerely: YES.  Totally. Completely.  Forevermore.

God wrote out his love for us in every book of the Bible.  Today let's be still in some snippets of God's greatest love letter to us all.  Let's rejoice in this amazing gift.

My precious child, 

I want you to know that I love you.  I want you to really know that truth, deep in your heart.  And I want you to carry it with you all of your days — the dark and stormy ones, the bright and joyful ones, and every day in between.

Juliet Grace Design via Etsy.com

My love for you existed even before I created you.  In my love I created you in my image.  I bestowed upon you special gifts, uniquely designed just for you.  You are exactly who I want you to be.  I want to abide in you, reside in your heart, live brightly in your life. 

via Pinterest

My love for you knows no end.  It will carry you to — and through — eternity.  And with this unending love I grant new mercies and blessings upon you, day after day after day.  Are you starting to understand?  My love for you is permanent.

king090blog.wordpress.com

My love for you is so large and so wide and so deep that it has no limits.  None.  Not one.  I created this entire world, and with the same care I created you.  I cradle the whole world in my hands, and I stretch out my hand to help you every day.  Some days you may feel like you are wandering or lost, but I always know where you are.  I always remember that you are my beloved child.  I want you to remember that, too.

But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

My love for you is so sincere that I want the very best for you, for always.  And to that end I gave up my son for your salvation.  Don't stop to think about being unworthy of this sacrifice.  My love defies that kind of logic.  You have worth because I love you.  This salvation is grace. Pure gift.  No strings attached.  Yours.  Forever.  Please don't keep this gift wrapped up and pretty on the shelf.  Take it down, open it up, use it.  Live in this love and live it out loud.  I want you to rejoice in this gift.  It is the very best, from me, for you.

www.HollyLaneDesigns.com

My love for you is so close that nothing can ever separate you from my love.  Not your distractions, your anger, your self-doubt, and definitely not your sins.  I have given it to you and nothing can ever steal it away.  My love is here for you every time you close your eyes, whisper a prayer, sing your praises, or serve those in need. There is no expiration date or supply shortage to worry about.  Use it up, pour it out. There will always be more.  I promise.

I love you so much.  I want the very best for you.

I want to give you a moment of stillness to soak up my love.

Breathe in this stillness.  Breathe in my love.

Be still.  Be loved.

With all my love and affection,

Your Father in Heaven

4 | Be Quiet. Listen.

You probably already are intentional about investing in quiet time with God.  Or you want to be.  For me, quiet time is a work in progress.  I have stretches of daily devotions, then interruptions and hiccups and reboots.  Thankfully there are lots of resources focusing on devotional quiet time and how to build the habit.

But shhhhh...  That's not where I'm going today.  Today I want to talk about another angle of our quiet time.  It's the amount of time we still the voices in our heads and the words flowing off the page and into our brains.  It's about creating an earthly quiet so we can hear our heavenly Father.

www.itsoverflowing.com

When was the last time you heard the God's whisperings?  Felt the Spirit's nudges?  When was the last time you even heard the silence of a quiet moment?

We can fill our quiet time with God with study and reading and praying and possibly even memorizing.  But we limit our ability to grow in God if we don't leave space to wait and hear from him.

So today, let's practice the art of listening.  It will probably feel weird, just sitting in the quiet, waiting for God's voice.  I don't know about you, but I don't hear God's voice in a clear and booming way.  It's usually a subtle and repeated thing (because I'm kind of slow in the area of discerning God's will).  And so quiet listening can be rather unsatisfying.  But with practice, we can move past that.

www.lightstock.com

First we pray.

Lord, so often I fill my prayers my words.  Help me to patiently listen for yours.  You know the issues that concern me, the ones where I need your guidance and wisdom.  I know the promises that you have made me.  Show me where and how I can be your eyes, your words, your hands and feet in this corner of the world, in this time.  As I connect with you today, I offer up all that I am to glorify you.  Help me to be still, to wait patiently, to listen carefully, and to hear clearly your plan for me in this day and the days to come.

"Prayer is not a way of making use of God; prayer is a way of offering ourselves to God in order that He should be able to make use of us.  It may be that one of our great faults in prayer is that we talk too much and listen too little.  When prayer is at its highest, we wait in silence for God's voice to us." — William Barclay

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Then we read.

I love this translation from the New American Standard Bible:

"For I know the plans that I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope."  

Jeremiah 29:11

Our heavenly Father has specific plans for us.  God does not want to see us adrift and struggling.  He wants us to come along side him and discuss the roadmap he has planned out for us.  It's the roadmap that will lead us to living fully in his love.

God has a plan for our welfare, our well-being.  He is looking out for us and protecting us.  He is guiding us away from calamity.  What a great word for our stressful seasons. God steers us away from damage, disaster, distress.  He steers us towards a brighter, lighter future and a hope so powerful it can only be found in him.

Thank you, God, for your plans.  Help us to look for them, listen for them, and discern them from the din of our distractions.

Then we sit in quiet.  

Thoughts will wander in.  Recognize and release them, even write them down if that helps to let them go.  Wait for words, phrases, or images that feel God-breathed.  They might not come while you are sitting in quiet.  They might bump into you later in the day.  They might speak to you in church later in the week.  But know that God wants to talk to you, and he will.

I pray that your time of stillness and quiet listening brings you peace and discernment.  May you sense God's presence and guidance in your day.

Inspired to revisit your listening practices?

Read more about listening to God.

All About God

Here's a great TEDtalk about ways to fine tune your listening skills.

God, be my guide...

Source: jameipangilinan.tumblr.com via Liz on Pinterest

All is quiet on the bloggy front...

Inspiration pulls me elsewhere.  Organizing the house.  Clearing the clutter.  Playing, snuggling, reading with the kids.  Creating a soft landing space and place for my busy Mister.  Teaching a little.  Working out a little.  But mostly being still... with God and with myself. 

Something in the new year suggests I'm on the verge of a change, a new direction.  So I'm simply listening, which is no simple task.

God's answer has yet to arrive.  Yet there is a delicious, comforting promise in the waiting.  Does the dormancy of winter find you waiting for something?  May God fill you with patience and hope.

For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.  

Jeremiah 29:11 (NRSV)