Pause to be with God!

As things begin to move back toward some degree of ‘normalcy,’ I would urge us to resist the temptation to fill. I suppose it’s easy, and even desirable at times to say ‘YES!’ to opportunities that present themselves. Some of us hunger for face-to-face interaction, human touch and getting out of the house. But, be intentional in what you choose to add in.

I’d caution against moving back too quickly into activity, or at least the frenetic pace we once had, or always filling time with social media or entertainment. I‘m not encouraging inactivity, but rather regular pauses in activity to reflect, evaluate and listen. Not laziness, but intentionality. This is really the weekly rhythm of Sabbath – resting from our normal doing to refresh, celebrate and be.

This principle can be brought to our daily lives as well.

Listen to this invitation: “There is a way to live a relaxed, unhurried, contented life in Jesus amidst the pressures and difficulties of life. . . to mature in spiritual adulthood anchored in the love of God. . . a way to remain thoughtful when triggered in conversations and listen for God’s voice. . . to surrender to God’s love and will consistently – even when it is difficult. There is a way to give our lives in service to others without becoming chronically exhausted. How? The answer lies in intentionally rearranging our days to integrate the Christian practice of being still and silent in God’s presence.” (Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, Day by Day, Peter Scazzero, p. 10)

Leaders throughout history have practiced this. Daniel prayed 3 times a day; the disciples had set times of prayer during the day (Acts 3:1). Benedict, a monk who lived in the 6th Century created a framework called the Daily Office, rooted in prayer, consisting of 8 times of pausing to pay attention to God during the day. We are not monks, nor do we have jobs where we can have that many breaks. But we could incorporate at least 2 short times into our day to spend time in God’s presence. Aside from, and unlike our daily devotions which focus on getting from God or praying to him, the Daily office is simply being in God’s presence.

The word “Office” is from the Latin opus, or work. The Daily Office, praying at fixed times during the day, was the ‘first work of God’ to be done. It is stopping to be with God. This is helpful in erasing the artificial line between the sacred and the secular.

Start small. Begin with 2 minutes of silence. Set an alarm on your phone if that’s helpful. You might re-visit the passage from your devotions or read part of a Psalm. The purpose is not to get something, but to be with God and experience His presence. You could also reflect on when, during the last part of your day, you have you sensed God’s nearness. This can be 5 minutes or 15. Listen and look for how God might be revealing himself to you through Scripture, nature or by his Spirit. Maybe you just want to ‘sit with God’ and consider an incident in your day. Don’t be discouraged if, especially at first, you don’t seem to gain much. You are training your mind and soul to rest. Again, close with 2 minutes of silence.

I think you’ll be surprised how much more your day is focused on God.