One-sided Conversations

 

One-sided conversations: we don’t usually find them pleasant unless we’re the ones doing all the talking. And for you non-talkers, they must be agony to endure.

While I’m confident God loves it when we come to Him chattering with excitement, or when we come to Him asking for help with a problem, I think He’s equally if not more excited when He sees us listening for His voice.

So, this post may be mostly for all the people out there that are members of the Chatty Club; those of us who talk more than we listen. I prefer to call myself loquacious instead of verbose, it just sounds sexier and more flattering. We’re a pretty big club. You’ve probably run into more of us than you thought you would.

We sometimes interrupt what you’re saying to get in our two cents. We sometimes let our minds wander while you’re talking so we’re prepared with something when it’s our turn, if you have a chance to interject at all. Yes, we can be incredibly rude. For that, I apologize in the pithiest way possible: Sorry.

We don’t mean to do it. We wish we could stop ourselves, and sometimes we can – till we hear our own voice again and realize, “Oops – no, I didn’t shut up yet”.

We need to quiet our mind long enough to adopt some method of listening.

Some suggestions include writing out all that’s on our mind first thing in the morning; a “morning dump” if you will.

Perhaps we could wait until evening for important conversations, because, surely by then we’ll be all talked out. (Ha! Can that even happen?)

Snap that rubberband on our wrist every time we hear our own voice?

Ah, we need a sidekick who can motion to us to shut-up when we’ve droned on for too long! Or someone who will pull us aside repeatedly to remind us that yes, we’re talking too much again.

Whether we like it or not, we chase away friendships (or potential friendships) because people will turn and walk the other way when they see us coming.

We can lose out on a lot of valuable information when we’re the one doing all the talking. Believe it or not, the other people in the conversation have valuable input, too! Maybe even more worthy of being spoken than what we’re spouting off about.

Listening. It’s not a hard concept. Some of us just seem genetically predisposed to find it difficult to process into something we routinely do.

I’m no psychologist, but I’d venture to guess that our constant chatter is attempting to fill some need in our lives.

Maybe as a child we were told that ‘children should be seen and not heard’, so now we’re making up for lost time.

All of that rambling to say ---- we need to practice listening. To become good at anything, it usually requires practice. This is no different. Even when talking with our heavenly Father.

Practice listening. God can work with a good listener.

The following verses bring up anger, too. We’ll get to that at another time.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak [and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires].” – James 1:19-20 NIV

Or – check out the wordier, more poetic version in the Message Bible: “Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, [and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger].”  – James 1:19-20 MSG

Listening With Purpose

Listening. How well do we listen? Odds are, not as well as we think we do.

According to the all-knowing Mr. Google, “The average person hears and retains only about 25% to 50% of what is said during a spoken conversation.”

There are plenty of jokes about women complaining that men don’t listen, but do we do any better?

How many conversations have you “hanging on their every word”? Perhaps not that many.

In a normal day, you may listen to your friends chat about how bad things are at work, or about how their children or grandchildren are doing, most of whom you’ve never even met. Or they may take time to catch you up on their health conditions, their failing finances, or how hot it is, or how cold it is. I may bore you with details about the most recent plant I bought!

Many of those topics may not be at the top of your interests, so you’ll hear and retain even less. If we share a common interest, you may listen to me a little more attentively, unless you have something heavy weighing on your mind.

Even if I’m speaking with obvious passion, you may still be easily distracted by all that’s going on around us, wherever we are.

If I’m going to win your attention, I should probably ask you what’s going on in your world first, so that you can ‘let it go’ long enough to eventually hear what I want to tell you.

The key here will be me taking the time to pay attention and listen to what you have to say to me first.

Most of us are not patient people. If the drive-thru lane at our favorite coffee shop or fast-food restaurant takes more than a few minutes, most of us get antsy and may even complain out loud, even if we’re alone in the car. Please, don’t tell me I’m the only one.

No wonder the Lord tells us to, “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

How can we know God if our listening skills with Him are as pitiful as they are with our family and friends?

Maybe this is why we have so much turmoil and confusion in our lives. “God is not the author of confusion.” – 1 Corinthians 14:33

Today, how can we make time to quiet our hearts so that we can listen to God and hear what He wants to say to us?

Do we need to spill our guts first? No problem! He’ll listen intently and pay attention to everything we have to say, even though He already knows our thoughts before we think them.

“O Lord, You have searched me and known me.  You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.” - Psalm 139:1-4

He delights in hearing our voice!!!

“He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.” - 2 Samuel 22:19-20

“He also brought me out into a broad place; He delivered me because He delighted in me.” – Psalm 18:19

“He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him, He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness.” - Job 33:26

“As for the saints who are on the earth, “They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”” – Psalm 16:3

He takes great joy in us when we make the time to sit with Him and share what’s in our heart.

How can He can give us the desires of our hearts (show us what our hearts truly desire) if we don’t take the time to sit with Him – and delight ourselves in Him?

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” – Psalm 37:4

Be still. Listen. Delight yourself in the Lord.

Selah. (This means to sit with this; ponder it; think on it.)

Rambling? Or Trusting the Process....

 

(Me, looking focused!)

I’ve been slacking, I apologize. Sometimes circumstances get in my way and I let them.

I’ve been incredibly tired lately and I’ve used it as an excuse not to do all the things I would normally do in a day. Some days I feel like I could sleep all day long and still want to crawl back into bed by 8:00pm.

But all my time hasn’t been downtime. I have been writing, just not blog posts.

It can be easy to let them slide, because, let’s face it, how many people actually read them anyway?

I’m 13 chapters into a new story, if I stick with it this time, it could really become a novel. Not like the ones I have tucked away in my laptop, but one I could actually finish and submit somewhere.

The challenge? It’s not my genre. Not at all. It’s a western – of all things. I don’t think I’ve ever read a western in my whole life. What makes me think I can write one?

Well, I’m doing what I always do when I write. I listen. And that’s just what I’m hearing right now.

I know, it’s very strange. Right? But then again – I can be a very strange sort of person in very many ways. So, why not?

I actively practice listening for the voice of God. But when I sit down to write, things just come together. Occasionally, they stick and I make something of it. Most of what I’ve written will never see the light of day.

Like right now. I’m rambling on paper (a computer screen, really,) hoping something will stick; that something will stand out to me and I can delete what feels useless.

But tonight, I’m feeling like my rambling isn’t coming out to be pointless.

What if?

What if God can use my ramblings?

What if everything I write looks like ramblings to God?

Yes, like most of you (I hope), I argue with myself. Please tell me you at least TALK with yourself.

If I argue the point that no one reads what I write, I could conclude – then why write at all?

If I argue that I’m writing for an audience of one, then I could concede that the one is worth it – even if I’m that one.

Usually when I write, I feel closer to God – not that my relationship with Him is about feelings. But they help. Sometimes. Can I trust them? Probably not. That’s why I don’t rely on them.

But when it feels like God is sitting here with me as I type out my next words, keeping company with the God of the universe can be a cozy thing and I enjoy it! That alone could be reason enough to keep writing. Peace.

No one else in the world has to read a thing I’m writing, but there are reasons for it.

Even if it’s simply introspection or self-assessing.

Even if I’m secretly feeling for the edges (of my existence).

Even if I haven’t completely figured it out. Grace.

So, I’ll write. Till my fingers don’t work anymore and my mouth can’t talk to text; I’ll write.

Read what you will. Ponder some of it. Toss out the rest. Share what you find meaningful.

I might not even see what makes sense to you, tucked in here like a treasure or a secret. Maybe there’s nothing here at all.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5

A traditional Christian stand-by. What are you doing with it?

Come and See.....

 

“You don’t yet know where the next note falls……” I heard. “And you won’t know until you’re actually singing with me. I’ll let you harmonize!”

My mind envisioned a couple ballroom dancing. As he led her around the dance floor, she followed his lead perfectly, appearing to float on air. They’d been dancing together for years; she knew the nuances of his movements; they danced as one.

To every prayer, God responds – “Come closer to Me.” In the coming closer, we’ll hear His voice and the answers to our prayers. One of Jesus’ favorite things to say was, “Follow me,” and “Come and see…”

His every blessing is to bring you in sync with Him, to hold you close, to lift you up and to edify the body of Christ.

“Lord, where will You meet me?” The question doesn’t fall on deaf ears. God’s response is swift; immediate. “Right here, right now.”

Are we ready to hear that? Are we ready to engage with the Creator of everything over our concerns and desires?

Will we stop what we’re doing right here, right now – to hear what He wants to tell us?

Will we make the time to listen?

Or put it off till we have time to sit down and “REALLY” pay attention. After all, we’re actually kind of busy right here, right now.

We are created to be vessels. We can house the Spirit of God or the spirit of the world, the anti-Christ; the enemy.

Unlike the demonic entities or even our very own thoughts, our God and Creator gives us the choice to allow Him to live within us. He doesn’t want to control us; He wants to lead us.

If we already knew the way we wouldn’t need Him to guide us. We’ve been doing things our own way for so long, we think it’s the only way.

We’re wrong.

That can be a hard thing to hear.

He knows the way, every time – because He IS the way.

Is today the day? Are you ready to sit quietly and hear what God wants to say to you? He’s ALL about intimacy – with YOU.

He loves you beyond human comprehension.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place….” - Mark 6:31 Worldwide English New Testament

Are You Listening?

 

(photo from vedictruth.com)

I’m going to be transparent with you today. Maybe a little too transparent.

As a child, we see things differently than we do as grow ups, but sometimes those childhood thoughts stick with us. Even when we have the perspective of an adult, silly thoughts from yesteryear can wander through our minds at the most unexpected times.

I’ve always processed my thoughts differently than most people around me. In our decades of marriage, Dave has often told me he doesn’t know anyone who thinks like I do. I never took it any other way than complimentary. Sometimes, he even seems to admire the way I think.

I would guess, though I’ve never looked into it, that I’m somewhere on the autism spectrum. But perhaps we’re all somewhere on the spectrum. They say there’s a fine line between autism and genius. I’m not saying I’m a genius, but maybe I dance on that fine line. I’m not talking about common sense or even intelligence, but the way my brain processes my thoughts.

As a child, I just saw myself as different. Most children probably go through that phase at some point. But, I’ve carried the thought, intact, with me for the past 60 years or so. In childhood, I was convinced that I was “retarded” (the word used in that day), but that no one would tell me or admit it to me. Silly? Perhaps.

Over the years, the thought has crossed my mind from time to time.

Last night I was worshiping God with other women as praise music filled through the room and I prayed for those I love most. (I’m guessing your name was whispered to God, backed by volumes of faith for your every need.)

At one point, when God spoke to me, He shared a little secret with me. He said, “You know, Dave would still love you, even if you were retarded.” (I’m guessing He chose that word because it’s the word I used as a child.) It instantly took me back to feelings of insecurity. But then just as quickly, filled me with laughter.

(picture from coolcatteacher.com)

Yes. Dave loves me that much. He’s definitely the man God created to be my husband. No one else would do. Not everyone marries the person God created specifically for them. Some of us get ahead of God or don’t even consider asking Him if the person they plan to marry has His approval.

Somehow, even though I didn’t know the voice of God way back when, I knew on our first date that Dave was the man I’d marry. There are plenty of times when we frustrate each other, even to this day, but neither of us has ever second-guessed our decision, even in the hardest of times.

The whole point in my vulnerability today is to tell you that God really does speak to us. His Word states, “Anyone with ears to hear, should listen and understand!” -  Matthew 11:15 (NLT) God isn’t merely saying that if you have globs of skin to hold up your glasses, you’ll hear Him. We have spiritual ears. We need to learn to listen with THOSE ears.

As a teen, on our first date, did I know I was hearing from God? No. But that didn’t stop Him from speaking to me. Like me, He always has something to say. Not so much like me, what He has to say is always worth listening to.

So, whether there’s praise music on or not, whether you’re alone or in a crowd, He’s talking to you. If you’re listening for His voice, you’ll hear Him. Listen! His Word also tells us, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” - John 10:27 (NKJV)

(photo from alabamasinus.com)

You may be tempted to say that you never hear Him. Or that He doesn’t bother to speak to you. You’re mistaken. There’s so much He wants to share with you. He wants you to know the depths of His love for you. It’s His desire to impart to us His knowledge, His wisdom and His understanding.

Pay attention. Listen. You’ll hear. It may surprise you. But, you’ll hear Him!

Chains

(photo from armstrongeconomics.com)

Most likely, your chains are not on your hands and feet, but on your mind. It’ll take more than just wishing to get free.

Surely, you’ve had bad dreams. The only way to get free is to wake up! When it seems like life is caving in on us, we need to awaken to what God has to say about it.

In Romans 12:2 God’s Word tells us to renew our mind. In short, this means to replace the thoughts in our mind that bring us down or lead us the wrong direction, with God’s thoughts on the matter; what we find in scripture. For example, if we bash ourselves with thoughts like, “I can’t do anything right” God wants us to know that we “can do all things through Him (Christ) Who strengthens us.” (Philippians 4:13)

In Philippians 4:8 God’s Word tells us to think on the good things. This is what enables us to renew our minds. What we think produces what we become. If I constantly criticize myself for being “so fat” I’ll just get fatter. That’s the direction my mind is going to take my body with those kinds of thoughts. Whereas, if I believe that “I am fearfully and wonderfully made…” (Psalm 139:14) I can begin to realize that I was purposefully made with love; I’m worth taking care of. Once I believe God on this, I’ll care enough to take care of myself. As I read that I am the temple of the Holy Ghost (1 Corinthians 6:19), I discover why I need to take care of my body. I’m housing the very Spirit of God in my heart! If too much weight is making me unhealthy, I can begin to take measures to lose it, by caring for this “temple”.

(photo from cnn.com)

In the book of Psalms, we learn that God wants us to listen to His voice. In Psalm 34:11 we read, “Come, you children, and listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” Again, in Psalm 81:8, God Himself implores us, “Hear, O My people, and I will admonish you. O Israel, if you will listen to Me!”

God gave revelation to man to write His Word for our instruction and encouragement. To not hear what He has to say to us is like buying a very expensive electronic gadget and tossing aside the instructions, then play around with it trying to figure it out. I don’t know how tech savvy you are, but I’d ruin my expensive gadget quickly. Some of us might figure out the basics of how to get it to work, but if we didn’t ruin it in the process, we’d certainly never be able to take advantage of everything it can do without those instructions. I cringe at the thought of wasting my money like that. I also cringe at the thought of how much God’s put inside of us that we never use, or for that matter, that we never even know about.

(picture from pinterest.com)

In James 2:18-26 God’s Word tells us that we need to put action to our faith, that faith without works is dead. (Works without faith may look good, but they count for little.)

That’s not to say that we can earn anything in the kingdom of God, only that once our faith comes alive, we’ll want to share it. That will include working to bless others. We can’t pour from an empty ladle, so we first need to find the gifts that God has already placed there.

If we piece together each of these points, we have a pretty good blueprint for freedom. Freedom from sin and the thoughts that bring us down. Freedom to live life abundantly, and to share it generously with those around us.

(picture from pinterest.com)

Freedom comes when we renew our mind. Delve into that, today!

Think good thoughts that are uplifting and productive; not evil and lazy and unproductive.

Listen to God’s voice, hear His instructions. Whether He speaks to you through His Word, or the still small voice that draws you closer to His heart, listen.

Act like the child of God you’re called to be. Put your love and your faith into actions, sharing God’s love with everyone you meet.

Circles of Listening

(photo from unsplash.com)

Welcome to my circle.


My circle gets larger each day, the people within my sphere of influence; the people I meet daily – at the supermarket, or a political gathering, at church or at the gym. 

My circle gets tighter, too. As the needs of the people around come to my attention, I pray. Sometimes God has me praying for people without even knowing their needs. He’s good like that, He doesn’t need to let me in on everyone’s business just so that I can pray for them. 


I may look impatient in a long line, until I look around at all the people around me. They may be impatient, too. But, many of them are hurting with concerns they’ll never share with me. That doesn’t stop me from praying for them, once I allow God to get my attention. If I’m fussing about the slow cashier, or that my ice cream is going to melt or that the child behind me won’t stop whining, I’m not listening for that gentle prompt from God.

(photo from west.com)

But, when I let all that distraction fall by the wayside, it’s much easier to hear and even discern who needs prayer and a smile or a kind word. Sometimes, even who needs me to buy a gift card for them, or just the quiet suggestion to buy a gift card and trust the cashier to give it to whomever needs it as they pass through their line.


Am I rich? Yes. Beyond measure. That doesn’t mean my bank account has an overflowing balance. But, you can’t out-give God, His idea of thanks or payment are very different than ours.

Listening for His still small voice always pays off, whether I see the payment or not; whether I know who needs the benefit of my listening ears or not.


As my circle broadens, so does my heart.

(photo from Edutopia.org)

Sometimes when I’m privy to someone’s story, I can get anxious. Many are tragic. Evil raises it’s ugly head too often. Life doesn’t always seem fair, not by a long shot. So many times, I question, why? But, that’s a question that doesn’t always abound with answers.


As my circle broadens, my compassion grows and my mind can be drawn into serious drama that surrounds me. But, my blood pressure can come right back down, when I’m listening for God to show me what to do, because I trust that He’s is in control!

(photo from Edutopia.org)

So, as my circle grows and grows tighter because I connect with people who have no clue someone is praying for them, it’s lined with the soft carpeting of a listening ear. Without that ear, this large circle can feel like a cold, comfortless prison cell.


Fourteen times in the NIV version of the Bible, we can read, “Whoever has ears, let him hear…”


Listening and hearing from God connects us to God. Listening and hearing God speak to our hearts connects us to the others around us, whether we know them or not.


Ever feel disconnected? Now, you see why. Those are the times you’re not listening. Or perhaps you’re listening to wrong voice; the one who tries to fill your head with lies – about yourself and others.


You may want to tune into what scripture says, so I’ve listed those fourteen verses here so you can find them easily.

Good night, friends. I’m listening…

(photo from skillshare.com)

Inner Dialog

(loddymicucci.com)

What’s your mantra? Does it line up with what you want it to be?

I use the term ‘mantra’ lightly, as it’s not necessarily a prayer or incantation I refer to, but the definition that says it’s is simply an often repeated word or phrase.

To me, your mantra is the word or phrase your mind plays back to you regularly. For example, one might hear her own voice daily declaring, “I’m so fat, I’ll never lose this weight….” Or, one might hear her inner voice telling her something like, “I’m powerful, positive, healthy and strong!”

Which voice is likely to empower you and help you to get the most out of your day? Which is likely to take you in the right direction?

We may think we have a positive mantra because we want to be a positive person. But, if things aren’t going as we want them to, or if people are less than enthusiastic about hanging out with us, maybe we’d better take a closer listen to what we tell ourselves every day.

(examinedexistence.com)

Admittedly, it can be hard to make a positive profession about our weight when our jeans get tighter every time we put them on. When everything around us seems to be going wrong, it’s not always easy to declare, in a whisper, that we are successful, happy people.

We too often tend to look at our circumstances, and then – access the situation. Our attitude can change our situations!

No one else knows your secret thoughts, your hidden fears. Well, accept God Himself. We can become masters of deceit when we don’t want the people around us to know how we feel or what we’re thinking.

Never really thought of yourself as deceitful? Me neither. But, who are we deceiving more, those who surround us, who love us – or ourselves?

(silvieandmaryl.com)

Walk past a picture window and glance at your reflection. What’s your immediate response? Yes, the one that flashes through your mind before you clean it up to tell me about it.

Granted, if your physique isn’t something you struggle with, that might be a bad example.

Maybe you view the people around you as more powerful than yourself. Maybe you’re intimidated by them. When the man from the next office over strides by with his shoulders back like he owns the world, does that bother you?

Or maybe, you think you’re better than him. Maybe your ego shouts over any voices of intimidation.

(linkedin.com)

Okay, so maybe I’m coming up with bad examples. What comes to your mind?

Where is it hard to say something nice about yourself? Where do you find it hardest to take compliments? Where is it most difficult to believe what God says about you?

It just could be that the soundtrack playing your mantra has become so familiar to you, that you don’t consciously hear it anymore. But, it’s still feeding you a lie. And the part of you that’s being fed that lie is the part of you you’re least comfortable with, it may even embarrass you.

So, take a minute to listen. Hear what you say to yourself every day. The best place to listen is in front of a mirror. Write it down. Is it good? Is it something you’d proudly share with others?

Within the secrets of successful people is tucked away a precious nugget that says they can be who they want to be, because they already see themselves that way.

 

(prepare1.com)

If I see myself as fat and lazy, I’m probably not going to find it easy to live the life of a healthy, productive woman. Logical. But, we take our thoughts for granted. Only we can change them, and it’s our choice to do so or not.

Where will you start making changes today? That mantra won’t magically change overnight. You’ll have to work at it. You’ve lived with it for how long now?

But, let the changes begin right now!

You might know what Jeremiah 29:11 says. You might know that God has good thoughts of you; good plans for you. But, do you tie His hands with your own unbelief? Do you sabotage His plans with your negative mantras and insecurities?

Whether it seems easy to do or not, - trust Him.

(familytreecounseling.com)

“How precious also are they thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand…” – Psalm 139:17 – 18 (KJV)

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Expanding NEBAI

(aecinfo.com)

Eons ago, in 2001, actually, I wrote a prayer that revealed my need to slow down, even if it was just the few relaxing moments I spent in the bathtub.

Today I filled the tub, plopped in a fizzy ball and sank into the hot water, relaxing inch by inch, as I submerged myself. “Sermons in the Tub” came to mind with full gusto, again.

“Lord I always seem to hear You….

when I’m listening….

when I’m listening to what You want to say to me…

I never seem hear You at all 

when I’m listening for what I want You to say,

the way I want You to say it.

I hear You when there’s very little 

if anything else at all that I can be doing.

You increase Your Word, only when I’m using it, not when I need it, 

not when I want it; but only when I’m using it.

When the widow fed Elijah, it was Your Word, Lord, that sustained her, only when she relented 

and gave up what she could do to sustain herself.

When Your disciples fed the multitudes from a basket of a few fishes and a loaf of bread, did they grow tired of feeding before all were fed, or did their level of excitement overwhelm their weariness –

because they saw the increase of Your Word…as it was used?

Today is a great day, without it of course, tomorrow would not come.

Today is a day of release, of letting go...of using Your Word,

so that You can cause the increase as I need it.

If I don’t let go of what I no longer need,

where will You give me what You want me to have now?

If I don’t let go to death, where will You give life.

If I’m listening for only what I want to hear You say,

where will You speak, that I would listen?”

I need to listen more and talk less. I get that. I also need to do better at being honest with myself.

(memorise.org)

 Using dietary illustrations again, there have been occasions when I’ve eaten something sugary or fatty and felt horrible afterward, and not just from conviction or guilt over eating it. I felt bloated, lazy, sleepy, queasy, sometimes even nauseous. (Then add to that, being mad at myself for consciously putting that poison in my mouth.) Those are not the words I want to use when describing how I feel. Yet, the time comes when I’m tempted to eat those very same things again – simply because my taste buds crave them or I’m feeling lonely or frustrated. If I were honest with myself when contemplating what I should do, I’d admit that those foods won’t comfort me, they’ll make me feel worse than I may already feel.

I know how those foods will make me feel. But, when I’m too busy for my own good and my focus is all over the map, not only do I not listen to what God wants to say to me, I don’t even listen to what I have to say to myself.

(by Eleanor Craig)

If you look at my life from an outsider’s point of view, you’d never guess I’m too busy. Even as I survey what I get done in a day, it’s not really all that much, most of the time. So, it’s not that I’m too busy doing things; my mind is too busy.

So, not only when I find myself being tempted to eat something that won’t be good for my body, but also when I catch my mind rushing around in pointless circles, I’m going to try to incorporate my NEBAI practice. (See my last blog post here for more on that.)

The catchy part will be noticing when my mind is evading me. Ha-ha!

Okay, Lord – I’m listening. For now.

(kickvick.com)

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28 (KJV)

I’m thankful that God is so patient with me, working everything together for my good and His glory. I think it’s His very good pleasure to work in us; with us, fulfilling His promises in our lives.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, 

as some men count slackness; 

but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, 

but that all should come to repentance.” – 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)

(enjoyingthejourneys.com)

Giving Good Gifts

(My own photo.)

God restores my soul.

What part of me is my soul? My spirit is one with His, my body is my flesh and blood, but my soul is comprised of my mind, will and emotions. All of those parts of me have been influenced, and sadly, damaged by the world.

God restores me through various means; often just a walk through the beautiful creation of the nature around me brings incredible healing. But one of my favorite ways is when He touches me through my friends and their encouragement and the parts of life they share in with me. Most of the time they probably don’t even realize the healing they impart to me. Maybe that’s because God is actually the One imparting the healing, He’s just doing it through them; through you!

One little reminder of love that brings me healing is a gift my friend Marie gave me. Though my friends can be very giving, Marie’s gift illustrated to me one of the many times she listens to me. Being heard and acknowledged brings tremendous healing.

I drink a lot of water and had mentioned, off the cuff, that when at home I should drink from a glass, not bottled water. I hate contributing to the plastic problems we have in our earthly environment. During a visit with Marie, she gave me a cup; perfect for my needs. I don’t sip from this cup, I guzzle. I drink more water than anyone I know. But, each drink from the cup reminds me that she loves me and she listens to me and that she chooses to allow God to restore my soul through her and our relationship. It was a simple gesture, but it came from pure motives and a loving heart. I love her for this.

I find it quite easy to love most everyone. But, certain people more significantly write their names on our hearts. Marie is one of those people. God bless you, Marie.

There are so many ways we can allow God’s healing to pour through us into those we love, and even into the strangers we meet every day. If you take a few minutes, I’m sure you can come up with a list of ways God has poured into you through the people around you. Sure, you can come up with a list of ways people have hurt you, too. What kind of person do you want to be? One that drips with healing or one that inflicts injury, {most commonly the kind of wounds we can’t always see with our eyes)? We can bring healing just as easily as we can hurt. We get to choose which words and actions we’ll use.

I’ll bet we’ve all heard the phrase, “Hurt people hurt people”. The truth of the matter is that when we inflict pain on those around us, it’s not always intentional. When acting from a place of hurt, we do hurtful things, sometimes, without even realizing it.

Often, we can’t help but ask, “But when is someone going to pour into me?” If someone shares healing with us, we can pass it along, blessing others from our place of healing. It can feel impossible to help others when we’re hurting so badly ourselves. We might be overlooking the actual sources of our distress, or even be in denial about the wounds we bear; being blinded by our pain. That definitely makes it harder to give good gifts to others and can prevent us from seeing ugliness we might be spewing about into the lives of those we love.

But, God does not leave us helpless or without resources. His Word is filled with power and tools to make us more like Him; whole. When our pain is so great that we refuse (consciously or not) to turn away from His Word, rather than to it, He sends someone along to take our hand, or our heart, and lead us to Him. Of course, we always have the option of pulling away from the help He sends to us.

Some of the biggest sacrifices we can make are through allowing God to act through us, even when we ourselves are in insurmountable pain. And sometimes, some of our biggest healing comes through the self-sacrificial love we choose to share.

Whether it’s through a token of our love, or through our actions, we’re all capable of showing our love, even when we’re tempted to act selfishly. We can do this only when we yield to God and what He shows us to do.

How has God been pouring into you? How has He been pouring through you?

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.” – James 4:7-8 (NIV)