Well, okay, maybe not. I couldn't even tell you all the topics contained within. Obviously, I'm being hyperbolic for the sake of emphasis.
But I have heard it enough that it kind of slides past me, in one ear and out the other, so to say. The way the words are connected is familiar and without new information, my mind feels no need to pay attention.
If I bother to pay attention, I'll find ways it that it actually does apply to me and my life. My youth group is kind of forcing this now. We're doing a simple Bible study where we read a chapter, discuss what's going on, and everyone (EVERYONE) has to say one way they'll live their life different because of it. No keeping quiet cuz you're introverted. No excuses.
On Saturday, we studied Matthew 6. There was a lot about people being religious just for show, and another discussion kind of came up so that the part on the end about not worrying didn't get a lot of discussion time. But this part was the most relevant.
25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?Matthew 6:25-34 (NLT)
28 “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
34 “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
(see also Luke 12:22-32)
Okay, if you had the attention span to read all that, good on ya. I'll admit that I often skip those scripture sections once I "know what's in them." I've seen it all before, you know? It's a lazy habit, I think. It probably keeps me from learning a lot of things by re-thinking the familiar.
Anyway, I found that this passage was relevant TO MY LIFEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~
I'm not a big worrier. I'm actually pretty chill about things. I don't like to rest until I have something planned, but I don't tend to get stressed about it. So I guess I always took this bit in stride. Don't worry. Okay, got it.
But there are a lot of uncertainties in my life, and I do abstractedly in a sort of removed sense worry about those. It doesn't cause me physical anxiety or dominate my thoughts, but I know that I have to get a job, I'm going to have to help pay rent, I need to be able to eat, and life is EXPENSIVE. I'm already feeling way busy with college. How am I supposed to spend the rest of my life doing dumb jobs that I
And that's where I find myself worrying in that abstract sense.
Basically, I'm worried that if I don't take care of every little detail myself, that I won't have the things that I need. And that is very very silly, because (see above) GOD KNOWS WHAT I NEED.
And He provides it for all the rest of nature, so why should I assume I'm not included?
-cue Billy Mays impersonation- BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
That Matthew passage up there also says to seek God's Kingdom first, and THEN your needs will be provided for. Sounds like we've gotta do some work still. Hey, nobody said this was a ticket to LazyTown! (memories, memories)How can we do this "putting God first?" Well, let's cross-reference! (this is a fancy word for "look up other stuff about the same subject.")
As it turns out, there are plenty of things to fill this time that you're not worrying in anymore. Here are two (and their benefits) that are mentioned right next to exhortations about not worrying:
Humble yo self
and God will lift you up at the right moment.
Pray about everything
and you will experience God's peace.
(lookit that, instead of just putting in references, I can link right to the passage! What useful modern technologies ohohoh)
Okay, and this one is my favorite:
Just plain spend time with God! Martha was doing a good job, working hard, making sure everyone was provided for. But she forgot to rest in the presence of God! Yes, the work needed to be done. But listening to Jesus was more important, and Mary recognized this. The dishes could wait until later.Luke 10:38-42 (NLT)
38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Now we can't necessarily sit and listen to Jesus as a touchable person in a room, but God speaks in many ways. And while He can definitely speak to us while we're doing chores and blogging and working at work, it seems pretty important that we take time off from those things to just sit with God.
I always find myself wanting to multitask. I can pray while I'm showering or while I'm exercising or some other thing that I also HAVE TO GET DONE. But that doesn't really end up happening. There's always something to think about.
I don't have a time anymore that I set aside dedicated to God and nothing else. My quiet time has deteriorated to a "when I happen to have a moment" sort of thing. It's difficult to spend any sort of extended time in prayer at random times throughout the day because my mind is so busy. I want to get to a point where practically all of my thoughts are prayers (like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof), but until then, I think it's important that I set aside time to specifically just be with God. Not the time I already spend when I have a problem, not time that I'm gushing about how bad I am at all this. A time for me to shut up and listen, no matter how scared I am about hearing something.
It seems like I don't have time to schedule something else, but that's ridiculous. Anyway, it's already been said that if God is the priority, everything else will fall into place. That seems like a better way to live my life.
All this thought is well and good, but if I don't set a concrete goal, nothing is going to happen. I can think for a long time about how morning isn't good because I have a tight schedule and I'd be too tempted to multitask and I might just sleep through it on non-early days and how evening is worse because I'm too tired to pay attention to anything and that's when I make up stories as I'm falling asleep and how the schedule of my day runs different all the time but if I don't just CHOOSE TO SET THE TIME ASIDE I will just end up making more excuses.
People always say "even if it's only 5 minutes" but I know I need longer than that. The optimal would be 15 or 20 so that I have time to read a verse or two and meditate on it and still have time to sit and not think anything and just be with God. But I think what I should shoot for first is 10-15. And it really should be morning to set the tone for my whole day. The obvious thing to cut out of my morning schedule would be the computer time I spend right before I leave (but that would mean I would be packed so tight I'd be packing my lunch right before walking out the door... and I hate being so rushed.) I also don't want to get up any earlier than six. If I do it first thing after waking up my mind would be freshest but I also might fall asleep again. It's just... so many excuses!
Okay, so if I need to do schedule planning, I can use it doing bus wifi. I don't need to tumblr/facebook/twig before my school is done. I can check my email on my iPod. I can pack my books and get my clothes out the night before. Very first thing, I'll get up and freshen up/get dressed. By that point I'll be awake enough. Then, before I get breakfast I will spend at least 10 minutes sitting and not planning my day and not rushing around--just sitting with God. For about half that time I'll pray and meditate on scripture but for the other half I have to be quiet.
People who know me might not think that's hard for me. But though I don't make a lot of noise, my mind is not a quiet place.
Yay a long Claire post! c: I enjoyed reading this, it was different, and I think it's honorable that you're trying to set aside a time for just God. It's hard for me to pray throughout the day as well.
ReplyDeleteI also totally get what you mean about it's hard to be interiorly quiet. My mind never shuts up. So actually it doesn't surprise me that it's hard to be quiet for you.
Best of luck to you in this endeavor! c:
I find it interesting especially that you have Matthew 6: 25-34 on here, because recently that's been a prayer/focus on my heart. I may not look it, but I am a total worry-wart, I get anxious over the littlest things sometimes, and Jesus is all, "I didn't make you to worry!"
ReplyDeleteI also can relate with you some on spending time with God. No matter how busy you are there is ALWAYS time for us to block out time for God alone, because He gave us limited time, the best way to spend it is to give it back.
I also try to be open to what's available to me, and God will often speak to me in the most unusual places. When I shut out ideas or opportunities but then take them with an open mind, God will usually surprise me and change me through those experiences. I truly believe that angels show up in the strangest of places, and even when everything goes wrong, God is still there loving us and wanting us. :) Seek God everywhere you go! We're in this together, Claire. :)