You wake up in the morning, having slept on a cold hard floor next to a King-sized mattress with 600 ct. sheets and a down comforter.
You’ve slept in the clothes you wore all day yesterday. They are wrinkled. You smell yesterday’s odors and itch at yesterday’s grime. Hanging in a closet are pressed, clean clothes, ready to slip on.
You walk by the bathroom, where inside waits a tub filled with hot, soapy water. You go in just long enough to splash cold water on your face and scrub it dry with a paper towel. A thick comfy towel hangs nearby.
You rush into the kitchen. On the table sits a hot breakfast, ready to nurture your body. You grab a cup of cold coffee and processed breakfast bar.
As you climb in the car, you wonder.
Why do I feel so grimy? Why am I so tired?
Why does it have to be like this?
This week we found a quiet place.
One woman found it in the back of the semi truck compartment. It’s just a few moments, but since she and her husband work on the road, it’s all she has.
Another is slipping into an over-sized closet and kneeling on the carpet.
One created a prayer room. Another is sitting on her back porch watching the fall leaves begin to turn.
This morning mine was in a 2-year-old’s play room. My car is in a shop and I couldn’t go to the little community prayer room, so I waited until Luke and his mom were out and I closed the door to be alone with God. In the midst of toys and a random shoe and a bed temporarily crammed into a corner, I knelt.
This week we are practicing the art of being still.
I’m so distracted, one said.
All I could think of was what I needed to do, said another.
It took time, but then I started to sense God, said one.
And yet, you remain, because you desperately want more of God. Being still is an art. Something we practice. Something that comes with time. Something we don’t give up on. . .
Because we don’t want to be that person in the story.
Who rushes past the spiritual rest she needs so badly.
Who wears the old of Sunday, and by Friday it’s not enough.
Who splashes her faces with a little and feeds her souls with meager offerings, when she is created to be filled, full, overflowing.
Yes, there are those wilderness experiences, those times we dig deep to pull up the reserve to nurture and sustain us.
But for most of us, that’s now where we are the most empty. For in those times we are so desperately aware of our need, that we reach out.
It’s in the every day that our need surfaces, and we might not even be aware of why we feel the way we do.
It’s why we are pushing past the awkwardness of our still place to discover rest, cleansing, and nourishment.
I want you to know that I’m not posting ahead. I’m walking through this with you. There’s no agenda. I’m not trying to sell a book, or build a platform. I’m just so hungry for my Jesus and I don’t want to be the person in that story.
I know there are others who feel the same way I do.
Read John 4:14.
Today, in your still time with God, write this verse down in your journal.
Meditate on this verse. Consider the rest He offers. The nourishment He’s offering. The cleansing that He pours out because of the cross.
What do you need from Him?
Share that need honestly in your journal.
In today’s still place, lift up your heart. Show Him your need. Thank Him without words for what He wants to give you.
“Who splashes her faces with a little and feeds her souls with meager offerings, when she is created to be filled, full, overflowing.”
This jumped off the page at me this morning and traveled right where it needed to go in my head and heart. Thank you.
I am 49 years old. I have an 11 year old and a 15 year old. I have not held a job outside my home for 13 years. I am in the process of divorcing my abusive husband.
There are so many things I have been trying to “take care of” around here the past 2 months (since I told my husband my decision) and I seem to spend large parts of the day doing for others. Trying to make this situation “work out” right somehow.
God will do that. Today’s verse tells me that all I need to do is “take care of” my spiritual connection, nurture my soul with the Word,ask, and listen. That would sure be a lot simpler! Thanks Suzie.
Lord, take care of your sweet daughter in this hard time. Wrap around her. Fill her up. Protect her and care for her. In Jesus’ name, amen.
I just left an abusive relationship. I was a stay at home mom and so my resume looks pretty shoddy. I will testify that once I quit trying to do things on my own and started trusting that God “has this” things got much better. I have been applying for jobs non stop for the past two months with no replies other than those that come in email telling me I didn’t get selected. Once I started to take my focus off my problems, and focusing on Jesus my attitude and outlook got better. I have that peace that passes all understanding. I also now have had two potential employers contact me. This morning I am going to a 2nd job interview. I know sometimes it doesn’t seem “real” to not think about our problems, but really, just remember “GOD HAS THIS” I cant do it. HE HAS TO DO IT!!!!
I’m praying for you Amy. God is with you. Always.
Exodus 14:14 The LORD Himself will fight for you . Just stay calm. (NLT) I’m 60 yr’s old and in the last 6 months my oldest child attempted suicide, confessed to being an alcoholic and my daughter has stopped speaking with me (she’ll answer simple questions but there is no sharing). I found this verse the past Monday…9/30/2013…and it has returned my sanity. 🙂 Whenever I feel the turmoil growing inside, I repeat this verse….and immediately I have calm. Praise God for his miracles.
I don’t understand this post.
We have so much available to us as believers, but we often live life day after day without it. We pass by the nourishment offered. We live day after day without renewing our relationship with God, and we wonder why we feel so distant, so unrested spiritually. It’s intentionally walking into a relationship with God to receive not just what we need, but to be filled up and over.
I think what this post is trying to tell us is that often, that which we most need to lead a Godly life, a better life, is right in front of us. It’s available. We just don’t take it in or allow ourselves to be nourished by it.
It takes a little time each day, and a desire, to allow God’s nourishment to enter into our hearts and minds. The decision to take that little bit of time is ours to make. If we make it, God will do the rest.
It’s so hard to just be still and let God sink in. If I’m not busy doing something around the house I feel lazy and unworthy. I know that this alone quiet time is important for refreshment but I’m afraid at the same time that God will tell me I’m not worthy, that I’ve sinned too much in the past, that he doesn’t have time for me because I keep making mistakes and not walking His walk. I read daily devotions I read His word and I let it sink in to a point but then it stops for fear of rejection as I’ve rejected Him at times in my life. I really want what so many of you have I want to feel cradled in His arms I want to feel loved by Him without fear. Thank you for these studies and devotions they really are so helpful. Blessings!
In order for God to say those things, He would have to go against His character, so who is saying those things? Scripture calls satan a liar and an accuser. How did Jesus counter the temptation and lies of the enemy? With the Word of God. Today I want you to counter those lies with the truth:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God. who loved me and gave himself for me.
Ephesians 2:4-5 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, evenwhen we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—
1 John 4:9-11 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Psalm 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.
1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
There are many, many more, but soak in these all week. When the accuser tries to lie to you, speak these words back in your still time. Write them on post cards and read them throughout the day. Post them on your steering wheel and your mirror. Until they register as truth and you embrace them as truth.
Thank you Suzy for taking the time to write out all these verses. We do need to store these truths in our hearts.
This is so what I neeed. I am headed to a place where I Don’t want to be so. I listened to a audio book devotion . I will not have time for the journal time but I plan to read
the verse
my favorite saying from a friend in recovery was that she was a human doing not a human being…the best advise ever…to NOT DO …thanks Suze…my world is crazy and I am so ready to de-clutter, God is guiding me with your blog…YAY
This is so totally me!!!! I have been so “lost” in doing for others and have overlooked what God wants and has right in front of me. This study is exactly what I needed at this moment. It has also helped me realize that it takes time, it’s not an overnight thing but I need to continue no matter what or how hectic my life is. With hubby, 8 children (oldest getting married in lil over a wk), working outside the home, ministry, list goes on….the priorities have gotten lost in there somewhere. Thank you Suzy for this study and allowing God to use you!
“It’s in the every day that our need surfaces, and we might not even be aware of why we feel the way we do.”… This is so true- I have experienced this very thing over the past year. I love the account of the woman at the well- I see so much of myself in her. I feel like I am reading about myself right there on the pages of Scripture… I see I am thirsty- I see I have been scrambling looking for something to fill those empty lonely places- namely, I feel like I go to social media, blog posts, books, reading about other people’s vibrant relationships with Christ instead of going to Him myself. Maybe, like Dorothy, there is an element of fear that He won’t want to meet me there because I feel like I get this Christian life wrong so much of the time. But, the other places I look for Him just leave me empty. I just need my own alone time with Him and His Word. Instead of going to my smartphone, going to my Bible. Or just getting down on my knees and asking Him to meet me in my loneliness when I am tempted to check my Facebook once again. Thanks so much for this study Suzie…thank You God for putting this on Suzie’s heart because I think there are many of us who need it…
Elizabeth, your words spoke to me ouch! I have spent a lot of time reading blogs, books, etc. Doing this for the past 2 years has really pulled me out of a major funk. But now I sense God stating, ok, you’re done, time to move on and access me directly.
Exactly! I had been helped very much in the past by these resources, but somewhere along the way these other things have become an idol…
I find myself not spending the time with God that I should be, even when I feel Him nudging me to do so. Why am I not listening? The reasons are almost certainly multi-fold but the main one is a fear that He’ll ask me to do something either out of my comfort zone or that I am not equipped to do. Really, He already has in nudging me along to write a book (the ideas for which are still being conceived at this point). My other big issue tends to be trust. I don’t often realize I do it but I attribute the attitudes and actions of God’s creation (us) on Him, which is backwards.
Thank you, Suzie, for this post as I think it’s God’s gentle way of telling me that quiet time and journaling time need to once again become a part of my every day agenda. Now to figure out when…
Thank you! In the semi I have had more time for me than I ever had before. I can feel and see God in the changing seasons, and I feel his nudges to pray for others, something that is easy to promise but often hard to carry through. I am blessed with so much. When I talked with my husband about your question, What do you need from God, his answer was nothing, God has already provided it all. I was amazed and reminded what a wonderful man I am married to.
My prayers for those who struggle join yours. I have been there. My heart aches for them. And I am learning when I start to hear the lies in my head to recognize whose they are and to do what you recommend and focus on God’s Word, trusting His promises will carry me through and defeat my foe. Thanks Suzie. Glad my comment was a blessing.
Reading others’ comments blows my mind. I suddenly don’t feel alone anymore. Before this study, I was on the verge of givin up on myself, on God. I jus didn’t understand how to let Him meet me where I am. It felt as if I tried everything, yet even the Lord no longer fulfilled me. I desperately need Him to be ALL I need. I know it’s so easy to say that I love Him and that He’s my everything, but the truth is He isn’t and I really need Him to be.
This reminded me of when we were newlyweds (now 39 years ago) and right after our wedding we left to move to another state to go to school. And some wedding presents were left behind. They stayed at a friends house for over a year. Gifts, filled with useful items that we could have been using, sat there, unopened, beautifully wrapped with our names on them. Just waiting for us to get them, unwrap them and use them. So like my relationship with God at times. He is there, waiting for me to pick up all the gifts he has for me – love, grace, mercy, healing, encouragement, power . . .and so much more. All I need to do is call on His name, be courageous enough to accept what He is offering, to listen for His direction….to seek, to knock, to open.
thank you for today’s post, it reminded me of all He has for us.
Susan,
I love your description of the beautifully wrapped gifts. I pray that God will provide you with the grace to open your heart even wider and deeper than it is now, to receive more of his precious gifts and the fullness of his spirit.
Thak you Susan. My wedding gifts were opened by other people but I won’t let others open the gifts God has for me.