Popular author and preacher, Lee Strobel, speaks in a study he has authored about being ‘hurry-sick’. Hurry-sickness is the mad dash, hurried lifestyle that many of us have gotten trapped in. Far too many of us are caught up in going nonstop and are extremely challenged in our ability to be present to the moment. As a result, many people are missing the wonder and beauty of who God is and what God is doing. The sermon accessible through this post addresses the issue of hurry sickness.
In a prior post and sermon, I likened trying to understand God’s will to gazing into deep waters. Pollutants, or what I simply referred to as muck, can impede our vision. Sin, unfinished business and distractions are common muck. Another factor is movement. When water is still we can readily peer beneath its surface, but rapidly moving water obscures our view. Two disciplines can help us slow down, get over our hurry-sickness and be able to hear God’s voice.
1) Having a daily quiet time. Your daily quiet time does not need to be elaborate. A prayer, short devotional reading and a time of intentionally being passive and receptive, is a great starting place. If you don’t already practice some form of daily quiet time, I urge you to start. At a minimum, read scripture, pray, listen, and perhaps use a devotional guide. If you skim my other post there are a host of other tools you can utilize. Even a 10 or 15 minute discipline can make a radical difference in your life.
2) Constantly turning your attention back to God through the day. Paul speaks about praying without ceasing. We can discipline ourselves to turn our attention toward God throughout the day, until it becomes normative for us to be aware of God even in the most mundane tasks. You will find this address as well in the sermon.
That’s all for now. I hope this sermon is beneficial to you. Next Tuesday I will post the third piece in this series. In it I will address how we actively discern or interpret God’s voice. In the meantime, I will post some other practical goodies. Blessings to you from The Practical Disciple.