Amidst the Noise and the Distraction
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Dear Friends,
Dear Friends,
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| (Photo by Tom Swinnen from Pexels) Amidst the Noise and the Distraction |
This week a friend and I attended a day event, "The Voice of the Father" at Ashburnham Place to enjoy the ministry of Marilyn Baker and Tracy Williamson.
During a brief conversation with my friend on Sunday before the event I discovered that God had laid the same verse on our hearts:
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.”
And my heart responds, “Lord, I am
coming.” Psalm 27:8 (NLT)
So we were both looking forward to our day at Ashburnham and having time to be in the Father's presence.
During the morning, Tracy shared the following verse with us:
There’s a private place reserved for the lovers of God,
where they sit near him and receive
the revelation-secrets of his promises.
Psalm 25:14 (TPT)
At one point in the morning, we were encouraged to find somewhere to be alone with God and wait expectantly for him to speak to our hearts. It was a lovely, sunny Autumn day and the grounds of Ashburnham are beautiful so I found what I hoped would be a quiet spot, sitting on a bench under the shade of a large tree.
What we were asked to do is not something I would normally do, but it was definitely something I wanted and so I came to God with expectation.
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and with hope I wait for his word. Psalm 130:5 (GW)
However, it was not quiet as I had hoped. It was a beautiful spot but I had sat where I could hear traffic in the distance, there was also another group at Ashburnham and I could hear adults nearby talking and walking together. And there were children playing and calling out to one another.
I was frustrated. How was I supposed to hear from God with all the noise and distraction going on around me? I had wanted peace and quiet and I didn't have it.
Noise and distractions are a huge part of the world we live in. There is so much noise in our world, the noise of household appliances, the phone ringing, texts coming through on our mobiles, or the ping of yet another email signalling its arrival and demanding our attention, work colleagues needing to discuss work with us etc. Then there are all kinds of distractions such as the television, the internet, social media, the latest app on our mobiles etc. And it's not just exterior noise and distraction we have to contend with. There's also the interior noise and distraction of minds which are preoccupied, anxious thoughts buzzing around our heads, the long to-do list which we need to accomplish today etc.
How do we hear the voice of the Father amidst the noise and distraction? Is it even possible?
As I sat waiting expectantly on God, this is what I sensed him say to me:
"But I am here with you, in the melody of birdsong, the rustle of the leaves, the gentle touch of the breeze on your skin.
In the midst of the noise and distraction, tune yourself to hear my voice and know I am here.
Be at peace, not because there is no noise and distraction, but because I am here.
Choose to focus on me and my voice, not on the other voices surrounding you.
Quieten your heart and you will hear me, hear me clearer than these other louder, distracting sounds.
Know I am with you and rest in the melody of my song, as my love caresses your soul.
I am here with you in the shade, in the shadows, as you feel the warmth of the sun on your cheek."
It was such a precious time. To get away from the busyness of life and make time to be with God and with other believers.
It's wonderful to have the opportunity to get away for a day, with no real agenda and have quality time with God. But, for most of us, it's not something we can do on a regular basis. This means each of us needs to find time and space for it amidst the noise and distraction of our busy lives. This isn't easy because there is always something or someone vying for our attention. But I believe it is possible if it's something we really want. It may mean sacrificing something else such as giving up half an hour of television, using our lunch break, getting up half an hour early in the morning or something else.
Each one of us needs to find our private place where we can be alone with God and receive from him. That place may be a favourite chair in your living room, your bedroom, locking yourself away in the bathroom, in your car, taking a stroll etc.
I have my private place where I choose to spend time with God. This isn't difficult for me, it's a habit formed over years of following God. However, I'm not so good at waiting patiently to hear from him. But it is something I'm beginning to want more and more - to hear his voice, to listen to the secret things he desires to share with me. I believe it is possible, and not just on a day's retreat. I believe it will take discipline on my part, but I also believe it will be worth it.
So what's stopping me?
To Think About:
I've quoted a few verses from various Psalms. Why not spend this week meditating on these verses?
Do you have a particular place(s) you like to be to hear from Father God?
Have you ever sat quietly with him and asked him to speak to your heart? If not, will you dare to find some time this week to do just that? If you do I encourage you to keep your journal/notebook with you so you can write down whatever you sense God is saying to you. I also encourage you to persevere as it may take time for you to hear from God, especially if this is not something you are familiar with. Don't be discouraged if there are occasions when you don't sense God saying anything to you. It may be that he wants for you just to be with him, to be comfortable with him, when no words are necessary, but just to know in your heart that you are loved by him and he wants to be with you.
Vicki
If you enjoyed reading this devotional blog, then you may like to know that my book "Dear Friend...52 Weekly Devotions to Encourage, Challenge and Inspire" is available to buy from Amazon, on Kindle or in paperback. (Its content is material adapted from past blog posts.) To learn more, click on the link below:
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My second devotional book: "Dear Friend (Volume 2)" should be available in paperback in November. This one includes space for journalling each week and is selling at £8.99
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