The Roars Around Reflection

"Dear God, thank you so much for today and for being over everything. At my meeting, remind me to be open about you, especially with so-in-so....  Man. I don't think she works today... great! That means I'll be able to do ....."  

Do you ever want to think or study something, but then find yourself thinking about something (or many things!) before you realize you weren't concentrating on the first thing? You decide to pray for 2 minutes before heading out the door in the morning.... And after sitting down for five minutes, you've covered your daily and possibly weeks schedule, fed the cat, retrieved your phone and answered a text, eaten a bowl of cereal and thought about a co-worker before you got the first topic you actually wanted to pray about. The roar of everyday life drowns out the good-intended focus.

 "Sorry God, I really want to be with you right now...."

Our culture doesn't like listening to God, or being silent. When was the last time you were still before God? Or thought about His awe-inspiring attributes? What roars will try to drown out God?

Look at your watch right now. Sit and be still for 1 minute and think of who God is. (Especially if you don't ever slow down)Sovereignty -all things in your city, state, country, the universe, and heaven will bow down and sing Him praise. His Glory and Holiness. What is His holiness? And He says "Be holy as I am holy." He is a judge, and a comforter at the same time. Wow!

No really. Take 1 minute. (If you're reading this, then you actually do have one spare minute.) Do and say nothing -preferably with the door closed and no one around.

Now that you did that, (You did, right?...) Count on your fingers how many different things ran through your mind.

A while back, I wanted to spend time thinking about God's attributes. I sat down with tea, and instantly, eight things went through my head at lightning speed, each complete different from another. My head was roaring with things to do, to think about, to process. It was hard to think about the one thing I wanted to -God. My reflection time, was full of a roar.

There is a roar around reflection from the outside. Our minds easily jump from thing to thing, lickety-split, without dwelling on something specific, accomplishing little, of anything, with lasting value. It is not until we carefully, continuously, painstakingly, bend its focus in a specific, desired direction that we may reap the long-term benefits of reflection.  If Jesus spent hours talking and praying with God, then whatever it is, it is worth it...and worth reflecting on.

Minds are filled with thoughts and actions of our hearts. It can never, not be filled. What fills your heart? "Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.*" Listen to your heart for 30 seconds.

What is in there?
What do you want in there?
What are you going to do to continue having that focus or to replace the roars?

(Each person is different. Find what helps you focus best. Possibly write them out to get them out, and then pray. Maybe being in a place without the things that distract you. )

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.**"

"“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.***"


* Colossians 3:1-2
**Matthew 11:28-30
*** Matthew 7:7-8