Great Expectations...Finding God in the Stillness

I booked myself some God time --actually blocked it off in my calendar-- planned and prepped for it. It had been too long…too long since I was in His creation, too long since I was truly and absolutely intentional about spending time with Him.

As I packed up my journal, coffee, and hiking gear…ok my lightweight compact outdoor chair, bug spray and boots….I had serious expectations about the morning.

When I arrived at the start of the trail I all but announced out loud “okay God, I'm here. Let's go.”

I expected God to be with me, to walk with me. I knew exactly where I was heading… no wondering soul this time.

 I made my way down to the trail to “my spot” and I set myself up. I placed my coffee on the nearby fallen tree and opened my chair.  I took a deep breath and let it out.  Okay my meeting with God could begin.

 I had great expectations for my meeting with God. I knew he would be there. I knew He would listen and then speak. I didn't know exactly what He would say or how, I just expected him.  My mind raced with various thoughts… everything from work and business to my vacation to questioning why  I didn't bring a snack.  It didn't matter, my brain just kept going. I thought that God would just jump into the conversation. I kept bouncing from one topic to the next (and back to the missing snack). Maybe I wasn't thinking about the topic He wanted to discuss.  So i just kept thinking, talking. Then I got annoyed.

 I expected God to come strolling up, pull up a tree  stump and start talking.

Why wasn't He here? I set the stage so perfectly. I was intentional. I chose a beautiful and serene spot to reflect in.  The sun was shining through the canopy of the trees. Birds were singing. Honeysuckle in the warm air. It was ideal.

I considered all of this as mind raced . Why? Why couldn’t I hear Him? Why wasn’t He talking? My mind kept going. Outside thoughts were invading my space. I wanted to scream!

Then I heard it. 

Silence. Quietness. Stillness.

It was why I came out here in the woods by the stream.  It was peaceful. There were no distractions. Finally all the noise in my head fell silent and I could be still. 

And in that stillness I felt God all around me. I felt His embrace. I felt His love. I felt His peace. 

I heard His whisper. This time wasn't to go over an agenda…wasn’t time to discuss my next move. It was a time for stillness.

God can't sit and talk with you if you don't give Him the space. If it is full of noise, how can you hear His thoughts?  His whisper.

 I know I needed that stillness that engulfed me. I felt off balance in every way… literally struggling to walk across a log. Even though I spent time reading the Bible and doing my devotionals, even though I prayed morning and night, it was never still enough.  There was always something laying underneath… a clock… meeting… a pillow… a message. Something that kept me only half involved, half present.  And if I were only half present how could I hear God? He requires me to be fully present.

When you're only half on something or half in something you are unbalanced and while you may be able to stay like that for a little bit, eventually you lose all balance and topple.

 I'm so glad I realized how off-balance I was before I fell . God had been nudging me, urging me to just go sit with Him… to get out into His creation and be one with it all.

Just be with him completely.

 Because it is in the silence that He is there.  The stillness. That is where he fills you, gives you rest and strengthens you for the next battle. It's where He steadies you and helps you see more than just a few feet directly in front of you. That's where He opens up your eyes to the things He wants you to focus on… the direction he wants you to go.

Take the time.  We all have things we need to do but this… this, is more important than anything else on your list.