On The Road Again

I'm tired. I've put a little over 1,500 miles on the road over the last week and I'm tired. I'm actually typing this on the road as I ride toward lake Tenkiller helping my in-laws move some furniture out to their lake getaway.

It's times like this that I am reminded of the value of slowing down. It's a little bit ironic that we build in to our trips this intentional time alone. We value solitude and taking the time and space to slow down, evaluate ourselves and listen to God. Yet here I am weary and in need of a break. It would make sense that we do that better than others, and maybe sometimes we do, but we can all get busy and begin to show signs of wear without realizing it.

We often share some ideas about solitude with the groups along the lines of solitude and we've been talking about it recently, so here are some of those thoughts, I hope that it leads us all into a more joyful existence, a more productive existence, and ultimately in better relationship with God and each other.

Some of the staff and I were talking the other day about how it seems like there is a pretty common thread through the Bible of God talking to his people in the wilderness or when they're alone. In the gospels (I'll use Mark) Christ goes to the wilderness early in the morning to pray (1:35). He's tested by 40 days in the wilderness. In chapter 3 he withdraws from the crowd and goes to the lake, and then up onto a mountainside to pray. Then there are others in the Old Testament who God speaks to in the wilderness Moses is "behind the Wilderness" in Exodus 3 when God talks to him, and then alone on Mount Sinai when he receives the 10 commandments. The list goes on where God uses the wilderness to speak to his people, but why?

I acknowledge that this is speculation, but I suggest three things that happens there in the wilderness better than in daily life. It removes distractions. We're no longer in the busyness of daily life and our minds are quieted. This leads to the next thing that happens, being in solitude encourages introspection. When we're alone with our thoughts, there is space for them to be heard and really evaluate where we are going in life and whether or not it is what we really want and whether or not it is what God wants. Finally, it allows us to change our posture to one of being willing to listen. It is difficult for us to hear God speaking to us when we fill our thoughts and lives every minute of every day.

These things aren't a given in solitude however. Just by being alone doesn't mean that we're listening to God. We still must commit to the task of seeking him there.

So remember that we must be intentional to leave space regularly to decompress, to slow down, evaluate our lives and to simply listen.

Take time to breathe.