The Challenge:
To practice being a better listener...to hear His voice..
The Dilemma:
I want to set aside time to do this as a purposeful act as well the "everyday conversations" I normally have, so how to practice this without becoming all legalistic about discipline, ritual and planning when I know it is all about going with the flow, at the moment.
"The Spirit is willing...but the flesh....."
After an initial struggle on the first morning having spent 10 minutes or so wrestling with the desire to stay in bed. I could hear this voice in my head, 20 minutes Julie, 20 minutes? I remembered the words of songs I had sung recently "I surrender all...." and "All I am is Yours", and here I was begrudging 20 minutes...hmmmm, so up I got and He spoke and I thought "I should do this more often" and so off we go...
The Deal:
We make a deal...If He wants me to wake up earlier to listen and pray, then could He wake me without the alarm clock?
Request 2... I'm going to have to take baby steps, so from 6am is okay and then we review it at some point.
So I wake up the next morning, turn to look at the clock....05.59 and then clicks into 06.00 before my eyes...I grin, God has a sense of humour. I am reminded of GroundHog day when the guy has this happen, day after day....
My ritual is, get the washing machine going, unload the dishwasher, get the chickens out, make a cup of tea, grab my Bible, find the throw and wrap it around me, sit and wait for God to speak or prompt me to read or pray for someone, whatever...I sit and sip my tea and the day begins!
So 5 days in and it is all very exciting! Only ignored the "wake up" on one day and then felt so disappointed that I'd missed out, notice, not beating myself up for turning over, just the same feeling you get if you arrive somewhere and you realise your friend has already been and gone and you could have had a good time together, that sort of feeling.
In Soundbites:
Yes I am hearing Him speak to me about a variety of things!
I am finding it a helpful discipline.
Listening is important for 2010.
The mornings before everyone gets up, works well for me.
Dick gets coffee in bed every morning at the moment, instead of taking turns!
If I don't get woken up, I won't fret, it just isn't for THAT day.
It is a small start, but God just wants me to want to be there!
I'll keep you informed!
3 comments:
Good on yer! It's so important NOT to 'beat yourself up' if you don't get up early. It's so easy for going with the flow after a time to become the accepted way and almost an obligation and then the emphasis becomes more to do with OUR effort, OUR input and OUR commitment and less about God and what He might want to say.
More of God and less of me!
Yeah, I can see how I could slip into that if I'm not careful. Perhaps you could keep an eye on me in that respect!
Love to! Just say when you want to meet again and chat over a bite and a drink. I'm free!
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