Today I’m looking back to seal in the lessons I’ve learned in the last three months. As I do, I’ll be linking up with Emily P. Freeman, a fellow Jesus-seeker whom God often uses to speak straight to my soul. Join us, will you?
#1: I can easily become distracted from the ONE THING.
One day while reading, I was stopped by this verse:
But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11:3
That phrase – “your sincere and pure devotion” – stuck out to me. Paul is so very right. It’s easy for me to become distracted, enchanted even, by lesser loves. As a result, my devotion becomes tainted. Without an intentional focus, my heart and mind are led astray.
Again and again I have to remind myself of truth.
It’s not about acquiring more knowledge about, believing in or admiring Jesus. It’s not about obeying him, fearing him or living to serve him. Our one simple pursuit is LOVING Jesus. Everything else flows from there.
#2: There’s a difference between being busy and hurried.
Busy means we have a full schedule. Busy is an outward condition. Although it can be physically demanding, being busy often reminds us of our need for God.
Being hurried is different. We are hurried when we are living preoccupied with ourselves and our lives. We are unable to be present. It is an inward condition that causes us to be unavailable to God and others.
“Busy-ness migrates to hurry when we let it squeeze God out of our lives.” – John Ortberg
I know what it feels like to live with a hurried soul. It feels frantic and exhausted. It feels desperate and grasping. Being hurried, for me, reveals an independent flesh trying to take control. It reveals a lack of trust.
Learning the difference between busy and hurried has helped me to pay attention more to the state of my soul. When I’m feeling hurried, I’m trying to take notice, slow down and place my heart under God’s sovereign hand.
#3: There’s no right or wrong way to practice silence and solitude.
After almost a whole year of quieting, I’m coming to realize that like most spiritual disciplines, there’s not a right or wrong way to practice silence and solitude. No matter the season, when I choose to get alone and quiet, I’m on the right track.
“Silence and solitude is the practice of being absent from other people and other things so that you can be present with God.”
… which means that this practice will look different for each one of us.
I’m also learning this:
#4: This motto is a good guide when approaching Sabbath Rest.
When prepping for a retreat on – you guessed it, REST – I realized that I’ve never been taught (by a pastor) or studied (for myself) the Sabbath command. My eyes were opened in a big way to both the invitation and the warning.
I’ll save those details for another post, but I wanted to share this motto with you. It has become a sound guide for observing Sabbath rest.
One day of the week, we are commanded (and given permission) to cease for what is necessary (work, striving, planning – all those things you “should” do) in order to embrace what gives life. The truth of this has freed me up from a long-time, legalistic view of the Sabbath. This practice has become life-giving, just as it was intended.
#5: Quitting is not just for losers.
Several weeks ago, I decided (in my head) that it was time to throw in the towel and call it quits.
Not on life, people. Just on all thing things.
I felt doom-y and gloom-y about calling and purpose and basically all things ministry. Discouragement had set in. I wanted to be done.
Later that week I confessed this to my husband. Without even rolling his eyes or giving away his “whatever, girl, I know you” grin, he hashed out the reasons why with me. We talked over coffee. He made me laugh. It was just what I needed.
The next morning I woke up with clarity. Quitting was the right thing to do.
The Desk Analogy
Let me try to explain it this way:
That is a picture of my desk right now. It’s currently a mess, but give it another week and it will be a complete disaster zone.
This spot in our home gets piled high with not only my stuff (books, journals, study materials, bills, mail, computer), but it also gets dumped on by the rest of the family. If I don’t regularly (and frequently) sort through the messes and clean out the clutter, this spot can no longer serve the purpose for which it was designed.
The same is true with our lives.
Much of our time is made up of the necessary. Make breakfast, lunch and dinner. Take the kids here and there. Pick up the house. Laundry. Dishes. Grocery shopping. You know the drill. But “the stuff of life”accumulates over time too. We say yes to here and there (volunteer, serve, lead, learn), and quickly our schedules fill.
But I don’t tend to my life like I do my desk. I don’t regularly (and frequently) sort through the messes and clean out the clutter so that my life can serve the purpose for which it was designed.
I realized this, so I quit.
Right now I’m in the process of slowly, intentionally and prayerfully adding things back in.
I’d like to talk with yall about this process of sorting and cleaning out more. Maybe another blog post someday?
#6: A love of heights must run in the family.
Last but not least …
When the sun is shining and the weather is just right, I sometimes like to crawl up to the tip-top of my roof. It’s a little crazy, I know, but I love being up high.
Growing up, my grandparent’s ranch house had the most perfect climbing tress. I loved climbing as high as I could into the tops of the branches so I could look out over the land. Sometimes I would even take a book.
This fall (in a moment of crazy) I took the kids up with me to my favorite spot. From our view we could see the moon rise in the east as the sun was setting in the west. It was beautiful.
Although I’m glad to know that my three appreciate being up high like their mama, I’m afraid my secret, quiet spot is no longer a secret.
As always, I’d love to hear from you. You can comment below, or if you recieved this post via email, simply hit reply. Thanks for reading, friends.
Megan says
I am learning spending time by yourself and scripture is truley a gift.
admin says
Yes!! Love it. That is one of my favorite gifts of all. Thanks for sharing that with me, Megan. 🙂
Jill says
I love that our one pursuit is loving Jesus. Plus I loved learning that you’ve quit doing all the things too.
admin says
Thanks Jill. Yes, we’re very much on the same page on that one, I think. 🙂 Grateful for you and your writing, friend.