I’m in the middle of something I like to refer to as “The Year of Great Struggle.” The details of the struggle don’t really matter, but suffice it to say I am struggling. So what’s wrong with that? Turns out I don’t really enjoy struggle all that much.
In the middle of this struggle, my life coach (yes, I sort of have a life coach) keeps prompting me to record what I am learning. “I want you to write now about what you are becoming.” That seems like a lifelong task, but I’ll try to narrow it down to what I am becoming in the last 90 days.
As I try to figure out what God is up to with my life, my circumstances, and my dreams, I am forced to dig into the deepness of solitude. I hate solitude. It makes me want to scream.
But what I’m learning in there is this: Shhhh. That’s right, Hush. Pipe down, Put a lid on it. Be quiet, for goodness sake. If you get still long enough, you might just hear the voice of God.
Now my God-given personality is not prone to stillness and reflection. And we all know that our high-tech, instant, hyper-fast culture in America does not lead us to times of reflection. So when you multiply my “let’s get going personality with the drive-through speed of the world around me, it takes quite a super human effort to slow down, turn down the volume, and tune in only One voice. As a matter of fact, it takes supernatural effort. That’s what I’ve learned.
I’m not saying I’ve mastered it. I’m just saying I have identified what I need to do. It takes a lot of energy to work at not working. Its hard to do nothing. I stink at it. I want to accomplish, achieve, check stuff off the list, produce, and then produce some more.
But what does God say about that? He says be still. He says cast your cares upon Him. He says don’t worry. He says don’t be afraid. Sheesh. He sounds like my life coach.
In the middle of this struggle, my life coach (yes, I sort of have a life coach) keeps prompting me to record what I am learning. “I want you to write now about what you are becoming.” That seems like a lifelong task, but I’ll try to narrow it down to what I am becoming in the last 90 days.
As I try to figure out what God is up to with my life, my circumstances, and my dreams, I am forced to dig into the deepness of solitude. I hate solitude. It makes me want to scream.
But what I’m learning in there is this: Shhhh. That’s right, Hush. Pipe down, Put a lid on it. Be quiet, for goodness sake. If you get still long enough, you might just hear the voice of God.
Now my God-given personality is not prone to stillness and reflection. And we all know that our high-tech, instant, hyper-fast culture in America does not lead us to times of reflection. So when you multiply my “let’s get going personality with the drive-through speed of the world around me, it takes quite a super human effort to slow down, turn down the volume, and tune in only One voice. As a matter of fact, it takes supernatural effort. That’s what I’ve learned.
I’m not saying I’ve mastered it. I’m just saying I have identified what I need to do. It takes a lot of energy to work at not working. Its hard to do nothing. I stink at it. I want to accomplish, achieve, check stuff off the list, produce, and then produce some more.
But what does God say about that? He says be still. He says cast your cares upon Him. He says don’t worry. He says don’t be afraid. Sheesh. He sounds like my life coach.