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Silence is a Skill?

Mar9

There are 144 notes on my phone.

I don’t know exactly how much space they take up, but going through them I found some interesting things.

Little quips of conversations, and sound bites from sermons.

There are names of people so I can learn to remember their names, (this DOES work by the way!) and numbers; because I never remember numbers.

One thing I found that seems to have been lost somewhere in the recent past is this one;

“Get to know silence like any other skill”.

Now I remember silence.

I like it a lot.

But the thing that befuddles me is the fact that although I do insist on much “silence” in my days, the question remains, is it serving a purpose besides quiet.

What am I doing with it?

I think my quiet times have suffered because they have become largely unfocused.

In the not so distant past, focused, daily quiet time was a regular occurrence.

I was looking over some of my “Quietude” posts from the past, and found →this one← from June 24, 2019.

It looks like I need to make the effort to get back to it!

Back to baby steps I reckon;

  • Same time every day
  • “Do Not Disturb” settings on all devices
  • Bible or other devotional type book
  • Quiet music or silence
  • Journal/note pad for catching random thoughts
  • Strict determination to make it work
  • Some days it is just quiet. No music. No book. No paper. Just quiet.

One of the most important things I continue to find out is this;

It IS possible to change our processes and our thinking, but we tend to forget that changing them is not a permanent thing.

We must keep after it.

So.

Back to basics.

My Bible.

→My Quietude.←

My peace of mind, my joy, my expanded hope – begins again;

Here.

Today.

Will you join me?

Until next time.

Raw and Real #12 – Freedom

Mar4

Today, I enjoy much freedom;

Freedom from anxiety, freedom from shame, freedom from guilt, freedom from bullies.

I enjoy that freedom because I made a quality choice to do the really hard inner work.

Importantly I must add – allowing God/Jesus/Holy Spirit to guide me along what has often been a pretty bumpy path.

I am fully confident, that you can follow much the same path to healing.

What is needed is a longing to be better, and a tenacity to stick with it.

Here is a really important point that must be made!

I profess freedom.

I own it.

But I must understand, and remember over and over again that this does not mean that EVERYTHING is perfect.

Actually, far from it.

Life on this planet is predictably unpredictable.

Everyone has trials.

Everyone has issues; physical, mental, and spiritual.

The deal is; how do we handle it?

I am free because I choose to, as the “littles” say “Let it go”.

I give it to God, and leave it there.

Let me be very clear, sometimes I leave it there once a day.

Other times it is every hour.

Scripture tells us in Romans 12, that we are a “Living sacrifice”.

Well, famous author and teacher Chuck Swindoll states that the problem with a “Living sacrifice”, is that they keep getting up and getting off of the alter.

I have to offer myself to God every moment, of every day.

There is FREEDOM in knowing that I have done the work, and that God reminds me all the time, that “He’s got this.”

Being certain of that, removes the weight from my shoulders.

I can walk knowing that whatever is going on, He is by my side, and that He won’t leave.

I have a handful of what I call LIFE VERSES, one for most areas of my life.

Here is one of my favorites;

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. Isaiah 54:17 (ESV)

Note, that it does not say that weapons will not be formed, it says they will not prosper.

Keeping this thought in mind, helps to keep the weight off of my shoulders.

It keeps my eyes looking ahead to just how God will show me what to do next.

Carrying that weight?

It is my choice.

Dropping it away from me is also my choice.

I need to recognize that some days are going to be more difficult than others, but the bad ones do pass.

What frame of mind will I keep until that happens?

And be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13: 5B (ESV) 

If you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet. Do not be afraid of sudden terror or of the ruin of the wicked, when it comes, for the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. Proverbs 3:24-26 (ESV)

There may be one more installment for this Raw and Real series, or there may be a summary.

I’m not sure yet.

But either way, won’t you join me?

Until next time …