Are you listening?

Photo by GiventoLove on etsy.com

News flash! I am busy. So are you. So is your boss. Your dog even has a busy schedule. We live in a busy, crazy, non-stop world. A world that encourages us to do more, be more, earn more. I realize this is brand new information for most of you.

So, when I get a day where I have nothing on the schedule and could technically just relax…guess what happens… I fill it up with things to do and people to see. Even on a day of leisure, I still watch the clock, plan out each hour, and try to be home at a “decent” time. 

But, as we are often told, plans don’t always go as expected, and this particular day was no exception. I ran into Whole Foods to grab dinner around 4:00. I remembered thinking, “Ok, I will be home by 4:30 with plenty of time to check off a few items on the to-do list.” While wandering around the hot bar, trying to avoid the oh-so tempting mac & cheese, and searching for something Adam might want for dinner, I bumped into a dear friend that I hadn’t seen in months.

With the way we started to talk and the topics we began to cover, you would have thought we had never missed a beat – all while standing smack dab in the middle of the hot bar.  I mean, we were literally talking about universal health care and how the government is dropping the ball while holding our paleo, organic, overpriced (yet worth every penny) dishes.

I was so excited to see this friend, but I knew that once we started chatting, there was no way I would be home at 4:30 like originally planned.

Instead of letting the hands on the clock get to me like they normally would, I decided to just let it be. Everything that I needed to get done at home could wait until tomorrow.  Being in the moment was where I needed to be. So I sat down with my friend and just listened.

Sometimes all we need is to just be still and listen. We need to fend off the distractions of the world and be present. I think that’s the lesson God was trying to teach me that day. Not just with this particular friend, but with a lot of encounters I had that day. I had the time, so I needed to make that time count. Life doesn’t always have to be about staying on schedule. Life can be sporadic, yet still be intact.

It’s easy to miss the important moments. Some of the moments are with friends. Some of the moments are with family.  Some of the moments are with God.  It’s usually not on purpose, but staying focused on doing things our own way can cause us to miss what He is trying to say.

What would your life be like if you took just 5 minutes each day to listen to God? To have some time with just you and him? I have been asked this question before, and I will admit (although its absolutely horrible) that my first response (in my brain of course) was “I don’t have 5 minutes to spare”. Terrible. I know. But it’s the truth. 

So, now, I am challenging you… and myself… to take 5 minutes each day to listen to what God is trying to teach you or where he might be leading you. I try to complete at least one devotion a day in order to focus on His love for me. I have linked some of my favorite daily devotions below. 

No matter how you listen to Him, know that He is talking to you. He wants to be there to guide your path and answer your questions. He is love. 

Go-to Devotions

First 5 - an app that will wake you up (literally, it has an alarm) with a different devotion each day

Jesus Calling - A classic. I have both the app and the book. 

Savor - I can't say enough good things about this devotion. I love the way she challenges you and comforts you all at the same time. It also comes with recipes!