Just wanted to let you know that some of the words that I wrote below and shared about during this time of testimony were from a devotion that I read about awhile back -- and some was from a sermon that I listened to as well. God had prompted those two things in my mind when I wrote out this testimony... God has really been working in my heart to let things go in my life that prevent me from having a relationship with God on a daily basis-- to be still before HIM and seek a deeper relationship with him. Busyness had consumed me ....and well.... read below.
Be blessed. Be encouraged. Be still.
Part II:
Have you ever uttered that phrase, "I've got too much stuff on my plate!"?
I will admit that I have said this phrase just in the last couple of days!! What we mean is that our lives have become too busy. Isn't it funny that we teach our children not to take too much food other than what they will eat and not put too much "stuff" on their plates. Yet, here many of us are as adults with way too much stuff on our own plates.
We've allowed ourselves to be involved with so many things that it has the potential to hinder our well-being.
Personally, I enjoy being busy. I tend to do better when I am busy -- though, don’t get me wrong, I fall A LOT ON MY FACE!! --- but sometimes we can become so busy that life seems to consume us. I don't think Christ intended for us to live that way. When we do get in that busy, busy mode of running, running, and running, we tend to let those nutritional things that should be on our plate slide off the side, like our prayer and bible study. Sometimes if we do keep those things on our plate, we tend to treat them like salt and pepper and only flavor our lives with them and not really have a full course meal of the things that can give us protein and help us survive.
Sometimes our family time slides off the side of our plate like runny gravy. It just starts dripping off and we barely even notice how far away from those around us we've become. When we're in that busy mode we tend to push aside those things that should be important. We don't mean too. We just start playing with our fork and it just happens.
I think it is a challenge to make ourselves have a balanced plate as a Christian, but I do think it is something we should strive for. It is something that God has been nudging me to strive for....
Lately, I have become unbalanced...
This whole idea of being still goes against what we naturally and culturally do. When our natural inclination is to step on the gas and go full speed ahead, God is often telling us to hit the brakes and be still. Our problem is that many times we view being still with God as inactivity.
However, the less we are still:
- the less we hear God’s voice,
- the less we recognize Gods’ activity,
- the bigger our issues seem,
- the smaller God appears,
- and the more we operate according to our own agenda, wisdom, and power.
So, sitting on my bed last night - I realized that some wise words are ringing ever truer in my heart and ears right now --
-- “Say No, and pray before saying Yes!”
-- “Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden, And I will give you rest”
-- “Be Still”
I want to finish up with asking you a few questions? The theme of today’s event is to refresh, restore, renew.... with that in mind and also with the command of God to “BE STILL” ---
When was the last time you released the pressing issues in your life to God? When was the last time you relaxed in the presence of God? Can you set aside just a few minutes to “be still” before God today?
Thank you for letting me share with you today....
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