Has the voice of God become muffled by your busyness?
Our culture tells us that busyness is the formula for success. That productivity should be valued above all else. Even as Christians, we can unconsciously believe the lie that our days must be packed with hard work and good deeds in order to please God.
But I’ve come to realize that a full schedule doesn’t mean a full life. Not when it separates us from the true Source of Life.
When we’re running full speed, checking off one item on our agenda after the next, we tend to leave God behind. With all the noise and responsibilities of life competing for our attention, it’s easy to miss His still, small voice.
The tender voice that whispers the same invitation Jesus gave the disciples in Mark 6:31…
“Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while.”
In this bonus video from Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World DVD Study, I share what an extended time alone with the Lord has meant to me personally, as well as tips for your own getaway with God!
Word Time: Half-Day of Prayer
Tips for Making the Most of Your Half-Day of Prayer
Something powerful happens when we set apart a block of time to seek God’s face intensively. Here are a few guidelines I’ve adapted from the Navigator’s 2:7 course for a half-day of prayer:
1. Find a place free from distractions. A friend’s vacant house, a church or Christian conference center, or a motel room.
2. Bring along your Bible, a notebook, a pen or pencil. You may also want a devotional, worship music, memory verses, and your weekly schedule. Wear comfortable clothes and bring a sack lunch.
3. Stay awake and alert. Get adequate rest the night before. Change positions frequently. Sit awhile, walk around—vary your position or activity.
4. Bring a list of requests and needs. If you need wisdom for something specific, bring it before the Lord along with other prayer requests.
5. Make time to really listen to God. Be ready to capture on paper anything the Lord might want to speak to your heart or call to mind through His Word.
6. Incorporate variety in the day. Read Scripture, pray, plan or organize. You might divide the time into three parts: (a) wait on the Lord, (b) pray for others, and (c) pray for yourself.
7. Bring other Christian material. Spend part of your day prayerfully and purposefully working through a book or Bible study.
Other tips include:
~ Pray aloud in a whisper or soft voice. Sometimes thinking things through aloud with the Lord is helpful.
~ Make a worry list. When things come to mind during prayer, don’t ignore them; instead, write them down. Prayerfully prioritize these items into a “to do” list. Ask God to show you how to accomplish what needs to be done.
My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.
Psalm 27:8
God Wants to Give You Rest
One of my favorite scriptures includes God’s offer to share and lighten our load when we come to Him. In Matthew 11:28-29, Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Though God-focused solitude goes against our fleshly addiction to productivity, time alone with God feeds our souls. For it is in God’s presence that we find strength, rest, direction, and a truly full life.
So grab your calendar, my friend! Find a chunk of time you can commit to God. Then do whatever you need to do to take full advantage of this gift you’re giving yourself (and the Lord!) For Jesus wants to meet you in your weariness, wrap His arms around you and breathe life into your soul.
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I’d love to hear from you…how has God worked in your life through extended times of prayer?