I am not a great pray-er. I am a desperate, scattered pray-er. I desperately need HIM because . . .
I could think a thousand thoughts and feel a thousand feelings.
But what is true?
I could attempt many things.
But what would please YOU?
C.S. Lewis described the battle for our thoughts this way:
“It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day. Standing back from all your natural fussings and frettings; coming in out of the wind.” (Mere Christianity)
I stare at my planner and ask:
What can be left undone?
What am I feeling the pressure of that I need to let go of?
Who have I left out?
I bring before Him the things weighing on my heart and nagging at my brain. I ask for clarity, and for a word from His Word applied right here to this pain. And He often does.
But God may not give specific answers, He may just give HIMSELF, His quiet, sure presence . . . which is enough, It is enough to know that I will live the day in Him, and that He will be there in every moment.
This is the beautiful thing about living in the Spirit of the living God who loves us. Romans 8:6 says, “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” A chaotic mind is a symptom of a mind set on the flesh, the here and now, the right-in-front-of-me, the pressing things on MY mind . . . not the Spirit’s.
Before you jump into even another minute, take a moment to “come in out of the wind” and set your mind on the Spirit living in you. “Life and peace” will definitely be worth the time.
I love this song (You Speak) by Audrey Assad:
“You liberate me from my own noise and my own chaos
From the chains of a lesser law You set me free
You liberate me from my own noise and my own chaos
From the chains of a lesser law You set me free
In the silence of the heart you speak”
