from another angle….
It’s natural to look at our quiet times times from the perspective of “what’s supposed to be in them.” That is our primary goal over these next three or four weeks. We do, though, hope to truly surprise you with some of the thoughts and ideas we have on that subject.
My final thought on Sunday was to come at it from a completely different angle. Ask yourself the question, “What is it that I would like to experience and/or feel during a quiet time?” Restated it might sound like, “What are the things I would experience or feel that would cause me to decide that it was a powerful quiet time?”
I felt like we had some great and honest responses in the group on Sunday. Real peace, an awareness of His presence, that He actually heard my prayer, an awareness of His love… Wonderful. What is YOUR answer? I’d like for you to consider this right there in the privacy of your own world. I believe God wants to meet you in a powerful way. I believe God knows how you function. I believe God is not trying to force you into a mold. I believe that God wants to truly meet you where you are. Those two questions in the previous paragraph will help us discover where you are. Isn’t that the first rule of getting where you want to go? Finding out where you are!
Please share your answers here and we will develop this idea over the next several weeks. Marianne and I both thank you for being involved and invested, both in class and right here.
April 9, 2011 at 4:59 pm
What do I like to experience and/or feel during quiet time? The only thing I can think of that compares at all with my quiet time with God is my daily check in with my husband. In the same way as my husband sometimes just listens and other times carries most of the conversation, there are times when God just listens to me go on and on and other times when He is doing most of the talking–whether through His Word, the beauty of nature, the words of a song or whatever. The most important thing to me is to feel that we have communicated. Sometimes it doesn’t feel very “powerful” and there are times when I wasn’t even left with positive feelings (like when He ponts our some sin or shortcoming that we need to work on). The important thing is that we got together and expressed our love for each other.
April 9, 2011 at 9:30 pm
absolutely….
April 6, 2011 at 9:14 am
Since I travel a fair amount my “quiet times” are mostly while I drive. I turn off the sterio and pray. My prayers may focus on something I’m concerned about, usually in personal growth but can also broach need issues. I, unfortunately, tend to ramble a bit as I’m easily distracted.
In an attempt to deepen my relationship with Jesus and a further understanding of the God head (which mystifies me), I’ve taken to reading Biblical and pastoral discourses on the nature of Christ at night before sleeping. Currently I’m reading “Who is this man Jesus” next “More than a Carpenter”, and then “Jesus”.
I understand that feelings are not a trustable symbol of a relationship but I must admit that I “feel” the most satisfied in quiet times when I experience something physical during or after the quiet time. Most often it can be discribed as a “fresh new wave of the spirit”. These can last several minutes and are euphoric in nature. It’s then that I “feel” that I was heard and communicated with by the father. These don’t happen often, and of course, aren’t really the symbol of a relationship or a connection with God, but, in my mind, is something that I can connect to our meeting that I enjoy.
April 6, 2011 at 5:31 pm
thanks for jumping in!
April 5, 2011 at 8:04 am
I have struggled with feeling love and accepted all my life. I don’t feel God’s love or even know He’s there for me or even loves me. The bible is just full of words. That’s all they are to me….words. They mean nothing to me…they don’t speak to me. My quiet time involves music. I love music; I love to let it fill me up. I had one quiet time that brought me close to God. I was at a ladies retreat, and felt all alone and isolated. I felt no one really wanted me there. I took my iPod full of worship music down to the river and just sat, looked at nature, and listened to my iPod, It was a beautiful crisp autumn day. The sun was out with just a hint of a breeze. The tears were streaming down my face and I was crying out to God, something I never do. The next song that played on my iPod was “In the Secret”……”I want to know You, I want to hear Your voice, I want to know You more. I want to touch You, I want to see Your face, I want know You more. “ The tears came more as I cried out more. All of a sudden, the wind whirled up around me, surrounding me; the sun beat down on my face as I lifted it up towards the sun. The wind around me felt like a warm, loving hug, and the sun felt like a warm touch on my cheek. These also felt like a subtle whisper and tug on my heart saying, “You’re not alone, I’m right here”. I never wanted to leave that bench. I really want to go back to that bench and feel those feelings again.
April 5, 2011 at 8:13 am
wow, some of the most beautiful words I have heard in a long time. And just between you and me, it sounds to me like you’ve been reading our class notes. Now don’t tell anyone this, but I think that was a quiet time… Imagine enough of those to fill up and heal your heart… mmm…… thank you so much for sharing that story….
April 5, 2011 at 3:11 pm
Wow! This sounds very real! Your wording convinces me that it touched your heart. This is me smiling for you.
So glad someone was able to get away for such an amazing time with God. I’m sure I was not at that Ladies Retreat. Sometimes I really miss the fuctions with the ladies. I miss going for walks and seeing God in nature, especially during the winter months. But I also miss spending time with the children in Sunday School class as we listen to Sean share about God’s purpose for each and every one of us and HIS amazing thoughts for me. I do not necessarily hear it when I’m with the grown ups.
I also try to absorb it in the lyrics of music though, but I do not have an I-pod or a gadget like that. My commute is short to my job, so the radio exposure is limited. And I’ve never had funds for purchasing music for personal use yet. I live from Sunday service to Sunday service and thank God when the tunes and lyrics might come to me later in the week.
I’m grateful when I hear He meets me where I am. I do not have to go into a temple or confessional box to speak to Him. There is comfort to know I’m okay in my specific location on His planet, whether that is driving, resting or doing laundry, etc. And with my heart condition right where I am…still seeking Him and desiring to draw closer.
I loved your post very much. Thank you for sharing it with us.
April 5, 2011 at 8:32 pm
That is a quiet time, girlfriend! Aren’t God’s hugs amazing?!