The Pastor's Place

This is probably the hardest spiritual discipline for me. (And "discipline" is an appropriate description!)  God's instruction is pointed - right down to the exclamation mark.  In our packed schedules, and in our manic busyness, we must learn to quiet our soul, to settle our thoughts, and to unplug our lives from all of the external stimulants. 

Some time ago, Gina and I had the opportunity to escape for a few days to a quiet, and very secluded, cabin in southern Indiana.  Cell phone reception is spotty at best and there is certainly no wi-fi capability.  (Yes, there is a small TV, but no cable.) 

One afternoon, by a stroke of good luck, I managed to get one bar on my phone and decided to post something witty and engaging on Facebook.  A friend replied, "Dude. UNPLUG!"  And he was right! 
Instead of enjoying the very thing that I needed (peace & quiet) and craved (time alone with my wife), I was inviting disruptions into our sanctuary of solitude.  God may as well have said to me, "BE STILL!  CEASE & DESIST!"  My friend was absolutely right.  I needed to unplug and enjoy the peace and quiet, with God and with my wife. 

The bottom line: busyness is habit-forming.  And dare I say, addictive.  (I can't go into all of the reasons why, but it is worth considering, so spend some time thinking on this!)  We seemingly can't live without auditory and visual stimulation.  We want to stay plugged in 24/7.  The question is: What have we missed from God, because of our stubborn refusal to unplug, disengage, and still our hurried soul?

Silence.  Peace. Quiet.  Be still.  Take the time to create a sanctuary for your soul.  God wants to speak to you.  And remember that it is often in that "still, small voice" (1 Kings 19:11-13).

Are you ready to put yourself in a place where you can experience God in a more intimate way?  Where you can "know" Him?  God wants to speak, and reveal Himself, to us.  And I am certain that His desire is much greater than our desire to hear from Him. 

My advice today: unplug and listen closely. You may be surprised at what you hear!

Labels: listening, quiet, spiritual discipline