We are all use to “hustling and bustling” with life. It has become so fast paced; we live in a world that doesn’t even know HOW to slow down anymore. We have become such a microwave society, we want what we want, when we want it. Now! Now! Now! And I believe the word Holy Spirit is speaking for me to write this morning is this:
WE NEED TO SLOW OUR PACE DOWN
If life doesn’t allow us the opportunity to slow down, we have to take charge and take the time to do so. Slow down our thought process – step away from the madness. Gather our thoughts… When you really take a moment and think about it, these words make sense.
Think about this – Our minds are the battlefield for where our thoughts are processed; for how we conduct ourselves, what we believe, what we do, and ultimately how we live… From the moment our feet hit the ground in the morning, our thoughts are off and running – nonstop. And for those of us who experience insomnia at night, our “shut off” button has been broken. Many of us just don’t know how to get that thought process to slow down and stop. What we need to do is:
TAKE TIME OUT TO STEP AWAY, SPEND TIME WITH THE LORD
Exhale the world, inhale the Word, and spend time with the Father. When you look at our Savior, Jesus, He had to do the same. Take a look at Luke 5:16:
“But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
Jesus was inundated with people wanting His time and attention (which He freely and loving gave), but He knew enough to know when He needed to rejuvenate. I think the reason this is shown to us in the Bible, is because we need to do the same. You can’t pour out from an empty cup. We can’t allow ourselves to be too busy to allow Holy Spirit to refill within us. Sometimes we need a fresh, anointed Word, and the only way we can be refilled, is to allow Holy Spirit time to minister to us.
Hey, think about it this way – if you are driving a vehicle for long stretches and don’t pay attention to the gas level and your gas tank goes to empty, your car will just stop. That goes the same for us! We often forget that our very being consists of a spirit, and a soul that is encased in a physical body, we have to pay attention to the total make up of us! Many of us just wave that off and say, “I’m good, I got this.” But the truth is we don’t. The Bible says in Matthew 4:4:
“It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Spiritual sustenance comes from giving ourselves time to hear what it is that God is saying. We grow weak in our spirit when we don’t allow ourselves time to listen to what it is God is saying to us and it wears us down and makes us vulnerable to the enemy. The proof of this is all around us, want examples of the results of overtaxing ourselves on all sides? Just take a look at the news, our world is in quite an unprecedented state! Ever hear of “road rage?” perfect example. Psychiatric hospital beds continue to remain full. Why? Because people are not taking time to slow down, and they are having nervous breakdowns, experiencing depression and so much more matters that are the results of the overtaxing of one’s mind! The flight and fight mode, which sends certain enzymes and adrenaline and signals into our brains (which was meant to be a physical protective measure) has become a way of life and not a protective measure and it’s not how God intended us to live. The results are not only mental breakdowns, but the wear and tear on the body which results in sickness, illness and disease and so much more. Jesus said in John 15:4-5:
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
And you can bet ol’ slewfoot knows this… Remember, the mind (our thought process) is where the battle occurs. What comes in is what goes out… And often we stand oblivious to the tactics of the enemy, thinking this is how life is supposed to be, going at a pace God never intended and if we don’t stop and recognize that this is a tactic of the enemy to wear us out physically, emotionally, spiritually, to be a distraction from being able to listen to all that God wants to share with us – the enemy will use stress to take us out. Mission accomplished. Another one bites the dust.
I believe this word today is from the Lord…
WE NEED TO SET THE BOUNDARIES GOD IS SHOWING US TO SET AND RECOGNIZE OUR LIMITS
I hear Holy Spirit giving me the following analogy to share for someone(s) including myself:
“It was never My intent for you to juggle as many balls in the air as you are trying to juggle. Many of those balls are NOT from Me. It’s no wonder you are weary, you were not created with the capacity to handle as much as you are trying to handle. SO STOP. This weariness is not from Me. It’s no wonder that your arms are getting tired, have I not told you My yoke is easy, and My burden is light? (See Matthew 11:30). The enemy would like to keep you at a pace that leaves you little time to hear what it is I am saying to you, let alone walk in the calling I have created for you to walk in… and I have MUCH to say, this is where discernment comes in… If you can’t quiet your mind, then it is easy for you to miss out on what I’m saying to you, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and if you listen to Me, you will find rest for your souls. I have created you with the need for rest. Is this not shown in Genesis 2:2-3?”
“By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so, on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”
“Am I not to be your example? The weariness of the way of the world is a distraction from ALL I have for you. Have I not indicated in John 10:10:
“The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I have come so that you can have life and have it to the full.”
“I have called you by name, it’s time for you to stop juggling and listen to my Words. Refocus, rejuvenate and reprioritize. And as I have told you in Matthew 6:33:
“But seek first My kingdom and My righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”
If that word from Holy Spirit is for you (as I recognize it is for me), perhaps you need to let those balls you are juggling just drop to the ground. Push in your chair and say:
“No more jello pudding for me, Ma!” 🙂
Step away from all the chaos to hear what else Holy Spirit may be speaking to your individual situation. Oh yes Beloved, Holy Spirit IS speaking to you. You just need to quiet your thoughts and turn your attention to Him so you can discern what it is He is saying. Maybe that means going for a walk-in nature., for me it is finding a rocky pier to sit on at the beach. Take off the headset, putting the cell phone down, turning off the PlayStation or TV games, and give God your undivided attention. Shut off the game console and pick up your Bible. Spend time with the Lover of your soul. Jesus said in Revelations 3:20:
“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.”
He wants to speak with you. He longs for you to spend time with Him. It will be a time of refreshment, After all, He is the Living Water. John 4:14 tells us:
“Whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Ever see a Pepsi or Coca Cola commercial where the glass is full of the carbonated beverage, poured over crackling cold ice and your saliva glands start salivating as you watch the commercial and your thoughts start turning towards wanting to get yourself a cold glass of soda? Well, Jesus is BETTER than any beverage you can drink! 🙂 And He wants you to drink deep of Him! And drinking deep of Him brings a satisfaction that NOTHING else in life can provide! He will help you reprioritize in accordance with His purpose for your life. He will direct you. We only have to get ourselves at a place where we can listen. It’s not easy to do, I know – we are pulled in SO many directions! So many of us wear MANY different hats in life. But here is the thing, God knows what is best for us and in order to live our BEST life in Him, through Him and for Him – we need to recognize the symptoms that indicates we need to re-evaluate our priorities and drop some of those juggled balls… When we are start to “hyperventilate” from life, begin feeling unbelievably exhausted or filled with anxiety… When we start to snap at those we love or reach a point of frustration with everything and everyone around us, it is time to stop what we are doing (and just as Jesus did), spend time with the Father. Re-evaluate, re-prioritize… Kind of like “cleaning the house of us” by recognizing what we need to let go and recognize what God wants us to keep… Unplug from the world and re-plug with the Father. I know this word isn’t only for me… It’s for some of you reading this too. Holy Spirit is giving you a spoonful of just the right kind of medicine… The BEST kind of medicine, but it will only work if we take it…
Is Holy Spirit speaking to your heart through this word? If so, leave a comment below! I love hearing from you!
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