Lord, Speak to me...And Make It Quick!

Lord, speak for your servant is listening...right now...I'm listening....better make it quick...cuz I gotta go!

We live in the world of drive through Starbucks, fast foods, instant contact through twitter, FB, texting, cell phones.

We get annoyed when we text someone and they don't immediately text back.

That's the world we live in.

This expectation of instant response works its way into our spirituality. We all want God to speak to us, guide us, lead us. We just expect God to do it right now!

One of the problems with American spirituality has to do with the issue of depth...or more precisely the lack of it. Most of our spirituality is shallow because we don't invest the necessary time and intentionality required to go deeper in our relationship with God.

We all know in our heads that relational depth requires investments of time and intentionality. Where we have a hard time is in putting this to action.

The investment of time and intentionality is true of friendships, courtships, marriages, and yes, this is true of our relationship with God.

God speaks. God leads. God guides.

But we must listen. We must take the time to walk with him. We must make the investment of intentionally shutting out the rest of the world so that we can be with God.

You know all this already.

The trick is in making it happen.

So here's a couple of suggestions (I almost said "quick" suggestions, but I caught myself).

1. Daily Quiet times - Set aside a time every day where you can get alone with a Bible, journal, and pen. I've tried lots of different things and have found that having a fixed time and a fixed place is the best way.
2. Journal. Journal. Journal. I remember best, I reflect best, I hear best when I am journaling. I am pretty sure this is the case for most folks. Now you may be the odd person who reflects, remembers, and hears best in other ways, but from what I've read and experienced, most people do their best remembering, reflecting, and hearing by journaling.
3. Try it for 30 days before you make a decision about continuing or quitting. 

I do my quiet time, journaling, reflecting, listening every morning at Starbucks. I get my cup of coffee, put on my noise isolating earphones, get my Bible, pen, and journal out and I do my thing. I love my mornings.

And you will too!

Oh, the places God will lead you to as you listen, reflect, and journal.