The one who lives under the protection of the Most High
dwells in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1 (CSB)
The other day I told my friend, “Life is too short to do something that drains your soul.” This bit of truth rolled off my tongue easily that day because, in that moment, I was deep in the midst of a social media break. A growing restlessness in my soul, coupled with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, whispered to my heart that I needed to pull way back from the unending chatter of the internet. After trying to refill my tank with what a thousand of my closest “friends” had to say, God stepped in and invited me into a secret space — a sacred space, alone. With Him.
“It’s like stepping into God’s office to dump out all of my emotional garbage and let Him help me sort it,” I told my friend. We laughed about the visual, but one of the struggles I often wrestle with is my own eagerness to share with others what God is doing in my heart, in those private moments. When I make this mistake, I stop focusing on God, and start looking around at others. I start listening to their stories, quickly forgetting that just hours before, God was working out some of the kinks in my own.
This time, however, I stepped fully and quietly into that secret place with Him and sat there in my mess and endured the month-long unwinding of a great many knots in my heart. Instead of anxiety about stepping away, I experienced relief. I came to God dirt-dry and found revival in His presence alone.
Surely there is a time for testimony. We are called to tell of His goodness and grace to all who will listen. But also we are called to the quiet, tucked-away place alone with Him, where the uncomfortable-but-necessary healing and growing can happen, away from the chatter and peering eyes of the waiting room. Alone with the Almighty, I tasted the sweetness of grace that could not — and cannot — be experienced anywhere else.
This message was written by Kris Camealy and appears in A Moment to Breathe: 365 Devotions That Meet You in Your Everyday Mess from the (in)courage community.
[bctt tweet=”We are called to tell of His goodness and grace to all who will listen, but also we are called to the quiet, tucked-away place alone with Him. -@kriscamealy:” username=”incourage”]
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During this pandemic, I have been enjoying my time with God in the quiet of my home each morning. I have read more scripture than I ever have as well as writing in my journal what I hear God speaking to me after I’ve prayed. This time with God has been so sacred to me and I feel so close to him. In what is a difficult time, I have to acknowledge the strength I’ve received from God through meditating on his word each morning.
Besides reading God’s Word daily, journaling to Him has been the single-most rewarding means of intimacy with God I have ever experienced. I have never prayed well verbally, finding that I often speak in staccato shorthand. But when I pick up my pen, my soul pours forth, and I never run out of things to say to God. And there is that sense in which I know His Spirit is guiding my words, and I can see the trace of His reply in what He shows me to write. Journaling to Jesus has transformed my life. One thing I have been able to do during this time of pandemic withdrawal is to reread my journals. And when I do, I am praying all over again. It is also extraordinary to discover both my spiritual growth and sadly, sometimes, regression–but always, always God draws me anew to Himself, as He does when I read His Word.
I love to journal what I study in the Bible and journal my prayers. There is such comfort in sharing written words with God. I too reread my journals, and it helps me see the prayers God has answered, and when I have been so wrapped up in waiting that I missed His answer.
Oh yes. You see God’s faithfulness woven throughout your journals!!!
That sounds like something I need to do!
Kris, your new book, Everything Is Yours has just arrived, and I’m eager to savor it!
Stay well, dear one.
Lynn
Do you know what I thank you so much for today’s word. I love it so much. I in the last while of the pandemic to do with all the talk about Covid 19 all over the World have grown closer to God. Because it taught me not to PANIC YES NOT PANIC. Remember who has the whole WORLD IN HIS HANDS. Like the song I was taught as Child. HE GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS. How true that song is. God has The Whole world in his hands EVEN ME AND YOU. It taught me to be more thank full for all God has given me. Trust him for everything. Know he God has everything in control. Stop and step away spend less time watching tv your tv and on your mobile and spend more time in Gods word the Bible and Prayer. Not worry know he God loves us he God will let nothing happen too us his Children who love him. Look at the way Jesus fed 5000 plus people not including the Children that would have been there that day to here him speak. On 5 loaves and 2 fish. They where not worry about Germs who had this or that. If the person sitting beside them had washed their hands before eating when Jesus told the disciple’s to tell them to sit on the grass. They knew Jesus would let nothing happen to them. So what faith they all had. We are as Jesus followers are to have the same faith especially at this time. All over the world. We are to get alone everyday with Jesus even when all this Coronavarius is over and spend time with Jesus in Prayer and Bible reading. Getting close to Jesus and putting the mobile away and the tv of. Like the 5000 People not including Children wanted to do that day that Jesus fed them on 5 loaves and 2 fish. They wanted to get closed to Jesus and hear what he had to say. We are to do the same everyday. Let Jesus speak to us.
I’m confused about what you are saying when you say “Jesus won’t let anything happen to us” Christians get diseases and die like everyone else, we are not exempt. Anybody can get this virus no matter how faithful they are. I think we are supposed to trust God with whatever his plan is..
The quiet moments that we don’t share are our secret treasure from the Lord and the building blocks of intimacy with Him.
Wow, okay! I’ve heard the message to look at my own mess twice in 24 hours. In all honesty, I really thought the stay at home would give me an opportunity to sit down and unpack my baggage with God. But I have worked and worried non-stop instead. Clearly, I am filling the space intended to make me listen to that still voice, unpack and re-evaluate what’s going on in my life.
This was a beautiful message. Thank-you for sharing with us Kris.
Prayers and blessing to all,
Penny
Kris,
God wants to have an intimate relationship with each of us. That is only possible if we have quiet time with Him. That requires slowing down long enough to sit still & listen to His still small voice. Can’t be done in a rush rush rush type world. He allows trials in our lives to get our attention & make us stop our hurrying. This pandemic has been good for just that thing. I’ve heard more people talk about God & praying to Him. It’s alright to post what God has done for you allowing others to hear of His greatness. Sometimes we need to withdraw from Social Media & all that noise & just be with God. I’ve used my pandemic time to work on 2 Bible studies &get deeper into His word. That is exactly what this country needs now. We should return to our first love Jesus Christ.
Blessings 🙂
I’m very glad you shared this. I need to do this and unravel my ‘stuff’ alone in a quiet space with God.