Christian Meditation - And Then Sometimes I Don"t!
Too many mornings, I find a reason not to meditate.
Oh, I still do it often enough that some people think I'm weird.
And I suppose it may seem weird for me to sit there and "do nothing".
But I know it's far from "nothing".
Meditation changes my heart, opens me to God's truth, and stands me under His outpouring love.
But sometimes I just don't want to! I'm too busy, or distracted, too...
filled up with other things.
And who knows what God will see, or show me, if I let Him get that close.
And so I don't.
My natural 'bent' toward selfishness and rebellion-and plain old sloth, too--shows itself every day.
Yep, it's discouraging.
In fact, some days it's very discouraging! And it's not just a problem with meditation, either.
It happens all over my life.
I mess up on a regular basis.
But more and more, instead of focusing on the mess I've made, instead of trying to fix it or hide it, I reach out for God's love and His help.
Because more and more I realize that my failures still result in His grace.
Yes, grace each time.
Every day.
Even now! Which really is amazing, freeing and reassuring-and I experience gratitude, trust and renewal, all over again.
Our Christian life, living and growing in the love of the Lord, is a daily journey.
And daily journeys have daily mess-ups.
But the more we focus on our limitations and our shortcomings, the further we go off track.
At first it can be a relief to quit trying.
But eventually we feel the effects of living off the path.
Consequences begin to find us.
We struggle in the dark hours of the night.
Sometimes we see our failures so clearly that we hide from God.
Hiding is a very bad place to be-I know, I've been there.
It's a deep and angry place, covered over with shame.
Only love can bring us out of that place.
And it turns out, we aren't really hidden at all.
God already knows us, all parts of us, and He loves us anyway.
And He knows that on our own we will continue to go straight off track.
He fills us with power and guides our steps every day.
He gives us real joy in our lives.
So it's OK to recognize that we've walked off the path.
We don't have to stay off, or hide out! Don't give up the truth and the joy of experiencing God.
Be amazed by His grace, trust His welcome, and get back on the path of opening your heart and being grown by Him.
OK.
Gotta' go-it's time to meditate!
Oh, I still do it often enough that some people think I'm weird.
And I suppose it may seem weird for me to sit there and "do nothing".
But I know it's far from "nothing".
Meditation changes my heart, opens me to God's truth, and stands me under His outpouring love.
But sometimes I just don't want to! I'm too busy, or distracted, too...
filled up with other things.
And who knows what God will see, or show me, if I let Him get that close.
And so I don't.
My natural 'bent' toward selfishness and rebellion-and plain old sloth, too--shows itself every day.
Yep, it's discouraging.
In fact, some days it's very discouraging! And it's not just a problem with meditation, either.
It happens all over my life.
I mess up on a regular basis.
But more and more, instead of focusing on the mess I've made, instead of trying to fix it or hide it, I reach out for God's love and His help.
Because more and more I realize that my failures still result in His grace.
Yes, grace each time.
Every day.
Even now! Which really is amazing, freeing and reassuring-and I experience gratitude, trust and renewal, all over again.
Our Christian life, living and growing in the love of the Lord, is a daily journey.
And daily journeys have daily mess-ups.
But the more we focus on our limitations and our shortcomings, the further we go off track.
At first it can be a relief to quit trying.
But eventually we feel the effects of living off the path.
Consequences begin to find us.
We struggle in the dark hours of the night.
Sometimes we see our failures so clearly that we hide from God.
Hiding is a very bad place to be-I know, I've been there.
It's a deep and angry place, covered over with shame.
Only love can bring us out of that place.
And it turns out, we aren't really hidden at all.
God already knows us, all parts of us, and He loves us anyway.
And He knows that on our own we will continue to go straight off track.
He fills us with power and guides our steps every day.
He gives us real joy in our lives.
So it's OK to recognize that we've walked off the path.
We don't have to stay off, or hide out! Don't give up the truth and the joy of experiencing God.
Be amazed by His grace, trust His welcome, and get back on the path of opening your heart and being grown by Him.
OK.
Gotta' go-it's time to meditate!
