I posted on my Facebook page this
morning “inspiration comes when you take the time to be still and listen to the
still small voice.” This weekend marks the first of which I have had the luxury
of sleeping in and laying around the house with nothing in particular to
do. I have recently transitioned into a
different job and as a result, I made the decision not to work on Saturdays. It has been years since my job has allowed me
the ability to have weekends off and words cannot properly articulate the
pleasure and peace I have felt all weekend as a result. To have the whole weekend to myself was a
treat and I felt so thankful to be in a position where I did not have to be
“busy” but was able to be still. It has
been a while since I have been still with myself and with God.
Saturday was a wash. I did absolutely nothing and I caught up on
my sleep. The older I get the more I appreciate how nice it is to sleep. Anyway, since I was all rested up from
Saturday, Today, I have had a chance to reflect, pray and give consideration to
the way in which I am currently spending my time. I am frequently reminded of the parable in
Matthew Chapter 13. In this parable
Jesus talked about the sower:
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying,
Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and
the fowls came and devoured them up:
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much
earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because
they had no root, they withered away.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up,
and choked them:
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth
fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and
understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which
was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
But he that received the seed into stony places, the
same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
Yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a
while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and
by he is offended.
He also that received seed among the thorns is he that
heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches,
choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
But he that received seed into the good ground is he
that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and
bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
What comes to my mind over and over
again is verse 7 and verse 22 when the bible speaks of the seed that fell among
the thorns and thorns sprung up and choked the seed. The bible says that this means the seed fell
on ground but died when it was choked out by the cares of this world. I often contemplate that passage, “the cares
of this world” and what that actually means.
I have been troubled by the busyness
of my own life and the lack of time and energy I have had to “live my days
intentionally” the life I desire to live.
The life I know God is calling me to live. I believe there is a way to
structure my day that will bring more wholeness to my life and my walk with
God. I have just not weeded out the “stuff”
yet and this parable is a reminder of that.
Let me explain. God promised to give us “abundantly above all
we can think or even imagine” but we have a part to play in receiving what he
has destined for us to have. I have to
position myself in a place to receive what he gives. For example, most everyone passes out candy
and treats on Halloween. But you cannot
collect the candy unless you first knock on the door and hold out your bag to receive
the candy that is predestined to be given to those who come to the door. I feel God calling me to a place of
intentional living and I don’t think I am the only one he is calling.
Today, I am aware that the
decision I made to quit working on Saturdays has directly impacted the time I
have had this weekend to be alone with myself and with God. It has allowed me to just listen to whatever
it is I am suppose to hear. I love
having time to write. To think. To be grateful. To spend time with my mom and dad. Time to
spend with my husband. To spend time on
the phone with my son. To pray and to
ponder the coming week. It makes me
realize that I often miss these little blessings by being too busy.
I do not have the formula for
being a Christian. I do have the Bible,
but those of us who read and study it will tell you that reading it and walking
it out in daily life are two very different things. It is not easy and it will
challenge everything about you. But living according to God’s principles has
been the only thing that has changed my life.
It has transformed my marriage and has given me a peace that no one can
possibly understand except for those of us who experience it. I have a desire to live wholly; body, soul
and mind, aligned together in unity to live intentional. There have been times in my life when I have
lived whole, but there are more times in my life where I have not.
I am writing this blog as a
reminder to myself of the life I want to live.
I also hope to inspire someone to re-evaluate their own life and see if
there is a way to free yourself from the busyness of the day so you too can be
alone with your thoughts to hear the still small voice of God. What was it that Socrates said? “an unexamined life is a life not worth
living.” I happen to agree and I am certain that if you take some time out of your
day to be still, you too will agree.
