Soaking...YBH?

During a recent late-season snow storm I was reminded how much you can hear when all goes cold and quiet.  Have you ever noticed that?  When it snows all the ambient noise seems to be muffled and the crackling of a tree, the bark of a distant dog, even the crunchy steps of our trail making its way on a walk seem all the louder.  Each would be missed if it were not for the dampening blanket of fresh-fallen snow.  They would be drowned out by all the extra noise. In the last post the idea of soaking in God's presence came up, and while it sounds like a good idea,  ideas often come with little means to actually accomplish them.  It's the old adage of "Yes but how?" or YBH.

 So I thought this post could be about the HOW.  How can we become present with God... and ourselves.  Let's face it, with our busy schedules and frantic world, it's nearly impossible to actually retreat for a bit and "soak".  Ambient noise is at an all-time high!  We often need something to help us muffle out the "sounds" that surrounds us so we can actually listen.  So here is a listening exercise I've found helpful over the years.  It is designed to help us become quietly present with ourselves and God.  Honesty is the only way this works...so leave your "should-self" behind and bring your very real, imperfect self with you. 

To begin, sit somewhere comfortable and quiet (if possible) to avoid being distracted by discomfort or noise.  Then acknowledge God's presence with you through a short prayer.  Any will do but here's what I often use,  "God, thank you for being near right now.  Help me know your presence and find your voice, and respond to it accordingly. Amen." Then journal your way through the following.


You may initially read this and think, "Oh brother! This doesn't look very 'spiritual' at all!"...I dare you to try it and see just how wonderfully God meets you in it - and wherever God show's up - His Spirit is there too....spiritual...God is so much bigger than our human constructs.  So if this seems a little "out there" for you...that's ok :)  He is capable of holding you in the place of His Presence that is right, true and good.

LISTEN FOR NOISE - What am I thinking about?  What's on my mind?  Write it down.(Try not to edit, judge, analyze or be critical toward the thoughts in your head - just write them down)

LISTEN TO YOUR PHYSICAL BODY: What is my body saying?  Physically, how do I feel right now?

LISTEN TO YOUR FEELINGS: What is my heart sensing? What am I feeling? (Again, don't edit, judge, analyze or be critical.  Let yourself feel what is there.)

LISTEN TO GRATITUDE: What are you thankful for in your life right now?  Who? (Invite the Holy Spirit to help you make a list of all that you are thankful and grateful.)

LISTEN TO YOUR DESIRES: What do you desire?  Both surface and deep desires. (Again, don't edit, judge, analyze, or be critical.  Just write down what you desire.)

LISTEN TO HEAR GOD'S DESIRES: Ask God, "What is on your heart?  What do you desire?  Is there anything you want to say to me or that you desire for me?

....Enjoy the "soaking" 

Oh yeah, and if you could use one adjective to describe how you felt going into the exercise, and one adjective to describe how you felt leaving it, what would those two words be?  

God rewrote the text of my life
    when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

 2 Sam 22:23