Today I am thankful for quiet. This week has been long, with several additional stresses, and I am so very glad it is Thursday. The need for quiet and rest today must have been evident because God blessed me with my client leaving an hour early, which meant I was also able to go home early and the house was quiet when I came home. The storm of yesterday had passed and in its place was a quietness and solitude. There wasn't the sight of a rainbow, but there is quiet and honestly that is just as good. As I close out my week, I am grateful for the opportunity for retreat and the break from responsibilities that are not truly my own.
I cannot stress the importance of rest and retreat. The best part of my day is that moment when I get to enter into that time of quiet and solitude. My day is quite literally filled with noise from sunup until sundown and at a certain point I just need to retreat to a quiet place. My need for this is at times so great that I will forgo lunch with my coworkers to eat alone somewhere. It isn't that I can get rid of all of the background noises, but that I need that time without people constantly talking. That time of silence to think and to process my thoughts without all that extra noise. Every time I enter into a time of quiet and solitude I am entering into a time with God.
Just as much as I need to turn off the noise to think I need to turn off the noise so that I can hear God's still small voice. Yes, God could reach me in all of the noise of the day, but that might mean He has to throw a brick at me and I don't want that. Every night I put away all of my electronics, close my door, and enter into quiet time. I spend the time reading scripture, reading a devotional, and talking to God in prayer. This isn't the only time I pray, but this is the time I can pour my heart out to God and hand over to Him all of the things I am facing. Quiet time is an excellent time to give thanks to God (even remembering the specifics of your day for which you can be grateful), to offer Him all of your burdens, and to allow Him to speak to You concerning His will and direction for your life.
Quiet time, time when you can be alone with God, is important. It doesn't matter when you do it during your day as long as you do it. A few months ago, during the summer, I also had quiet time with God in the mornings before work. I scheduled this time in my planner as Coffee with God and that is what I did, every morning before work I would sit at a coffee shop and enjoy coffee with God. When my schedule changed in fall I was no longer able to do it, but I can vouch that this time with God was an incredible way to start my day. That time was a time for me to refocus on God and I found that my heart was always at peace as I entered into the chaos of work. During summer I still had my quiet time in the evenings too so each work day started and ended in quiet time with God. This was a rewarding experience. If my daily schedule ever had consistent start times again I would definitely make coffee with God a part of my morning routine again.
Silence is golden. I am so incredibly thankful for the quiet and rest that this evening has brought. I am thankful for quiet time alone with God. I am grateful that in a day filled with noise I can still find time to listen to God's still small voice. What are you thankful for today?
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