by Marcie Bridges, @Marcie_Bridges
For my expectation is from Him.
Psalm 62:5
βWhat a minute,β I said out loud. βYes, I did. I even prayed. Wow. What does that say about my Bible time?β I drove the rest of the way home feeling very somber.
I try to spend time reading Godβs Word, a few devotions and pray first thing every morning. And there are days when it really sticks with me. You know what I mean. Like you canβt think about anything else but the message you received kind of stick with you.
But more and more lately I find myself not giving a second thought to what Iβd read. And I wonder, what am I doing wrong? Whatβs wrong with me?
I mean, am I the only one? The only one who finds most devotionals shallow without enough depth to hang your hat on?
Hmmm … maybe itβs my prayer time. Maybe Iβm not spending enough time with God in prayer. Maybe Iβm not saying the right words.
This kind of unease that feels as if something is wrong between me and a friend and not exactly knowing what it could be. How do you fix it when you canβt pinpoint what it is? How do you talk about it when youβre not sure what to talk about?
Iβm not at all sure. I know there must be something more to this than just reading a short paragraph, a few verses and a prayer. I know there must be.
And then it occurs to me. My relationship with God isnβt based on a short devotion and a hurried, or unhurried, prayer. My relationship with God is through a quiet stillness with Him. Itβs reading His Word and making it a personal part of my day.
Journey into Stillness
As each new day comes
our minds grow weak
our souls become numb
we must travel each day
on one rule of thumb
journey with God into stillness.
Tune out all the noise
curl up in Jesusβ arms
breathe His name in the dark
surrender to His voice
as you simply βbeβ in the stillness.
Should your body protest
your mind not be at rest
shoulders sagging in distress
picture yourself hand-in-hand
walking with God in the stillness.
Heβll be with you to the end
carrying you closely as you mend
as each new day comes
a stronger person weβll become
as we
journey with God into stillness.
Β©3 February 2017
N.T.J.
Amen, Marcie. Beautifully said. Thanks for this reminder. I often hurry through a time with the Lord…to check it off my to-do list and move on to other things. But He IS my best friend. I want to be in His presence. And I also miss journaling with the Lord. Appreciate this post so much and love the poem. Hugs!
I often want to be in His presence. I desire for Him to be first in my life. But I'm afraid I don't always treat Him that way. I guess that's the way it is with best friends. We forget to put them ahead of us and our relationship goes a bit sour. I needed this reminder. I'm so glad it ministered to you as well. Thank you Karen! π
This is powerful! Thank you for being so transparent and vulnerable with your honesty. I promise you this is a common struggle for everyone who truly wants to know the Lord more. That's the last thing Satan wants for us. He is a master schemer of all things distracting. But recognizing his plan in those moments of mundaneness-of-faith is the first step to victory. Thank you so much for sharing.
Mundane is a great word for it! I am coming to realize that just opening my Bible or my devotional and reading isn't enough. I need to intentionally invite Him to be with me during my quiet time before I open His Word. And you always help me pointing me to Him. Thank you Nan π
Thanks Marcie for the reminder. Nothing beats the quiet stillness with the Lors to hear from him and have amazing fellowship.
Hi Patty! I agree! I am starting to plan my next personal retreat I do once a year. I can't wait to see and hear what the Lord has for me. Thank you for stopping by and sharing! π
Marcie, what a relatable post. I think most of us have hurried through our prayer time. I love the way the Holy Spirit brought to your awareness what the issue was and how to get back to that beautiful closeness with the Father. Just beautiful!
Thank you Beckie. It was a sweet time of fellowship. I also realized I need to remember to intentionally ask for His presence with me during my quiet times and for Him to dispel all distractions during it. Blessings, Marcie π
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