Last week was tough. Real tough. I was at a spiritual low and it wasn't until last Sunday that I tried to climb out of my little pit. I realized my heart was far from God and I made a concentrated effort (once again - why can't I learn?) to find a "consistent" quite time to spend with God. So Monday morning, following that path of that Virtuous Woman in Proverbs 31, I awoke "while it was yet dark" (in my house that is around 6 a.m.), got showered and dressed, and enjoyed a wonderful quite time with God. Ah, it was so refreshing. Tuesday I followed the same routine. Ah, what bliss. Wednesday, I followed the same routine, however, my children did not. They decided that it was no longer "dark" at 6:45 a.m. My quiet time didn't last as long. Thursday, it was no longer "dark" at 6:25 a.m. (mind you my goal was to have quite time from 6:30-7 a.m.).
Friday I was going to try to get up at 6 am to have my quiet time. Would’ve worked great had my son not chosen to wake up at 5:40 am. I was frustrated beyond belief! I took him downstairs and plopped him in front of the tube and decided to play around online to burn off some steam. I stumbled onto a web page that a father had created that shared his account of his 3-year-old daughter’s battle with a brain tumor. It was one of the most troubling things I’ve ever read. This man shared the short life of his daughter and the trails of the battle she lost. It was sobering.
As my day progressed, I realized that I resented my children for “stealing” my quiet time. This is a trial I’ve had since my first daughter was born 5 ½ years ago. When I was younger I had the time to spend hours of study in the Bible. That season of my life was filled with easy quiet times.
Learnings
Then it hit me…I should be thankful that I have my children to steal my quiet time. I should appreciate that they are healthy, happy children. For life is but a vapor (James 4:14) and God can take them away from me as easily as He gave them to me. They are His children after all.
Then the next learning hit me…God just spoke to me via a web page! God can teach me and speak to me in many ways. I should not limit Him.
The season of life that I am in now brings new ways of learning. Having young children is very demanding and rarely allows for any quiet time much less “a Quiet Time”. So I must seek new ways in which God can speak to me and teach me. If I do get the rare moment for a quiet time I’ll enjoy and appreciate it. But when I don’t get that study time I’ll look for other ways to listen to God.
Here are some ways in which God can teach:
Song – Deut. 31:19
Nature – Job 12:7-8
Any way He chooses – Ps. 25:12
His Eyes – Ps. 32:8
His Word/Bible – Ps. 94:12
Testimonies – Ps. 132:12
Holy Spirit – Lk. 12:12
4 Comments:
Thanks for the encouragement! The lack of control a mother has over her time can be SO FRUSTRATING. I totally took my time for granted before I had kids. I also thought being a stay-at-home mom would provide me with a ton of time. Hardy har har! Thanks for the reminder of how precious this time really is.
By
Anonymous, at 9:58 AM
Bekah-The concept of finding that quiet time has been on my heart for the many "overworked" ladies of our church. Although not specifically, you have been in my prayers! Check out my article in the Women of Grace news for June 2005, soon to be released.
Janna
Isaiah 55:1-3, 6-13
By
Anonymous, at 11:41 PM
I so did this! I started getting up at 6 because the kids were sleeping to 7 regularily, and then low and behold they started to wake at 6. *sigh*
So that is exactly why I had to take what I could get!
I so understand.
Thank God that He loves and cares for us inspite of how long or how often we meet with Him. It just makes our day so much better!
By
Pfingston, at 2:05 AM
Isn't that where we all live? And when it's not the kids, it's work or illness. There's always something to derail our best intentions. There's an excellent book called "Sacred Pathways," by Gary Thomas that addresses nine ways that we can connect with God in worship. Kind of like identifying your "worship personality."
It's such a blessing to live in a generation that opens to God in relationship and doesn't stuff us into a "worship box." The one thing we must always remember is to filter our mind with scripture to keep our worship pure. God deserves our inner best, even when we don't think we can find the time or space to give our outer best!
By
Just A Girl, at 10:35 PM
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