One day I placed a chair in the middle of my study and sat down….whether we recognize it or not, we all need a quiet place one-on-one with God. I felt like a nomad, thirsty and dying with no visible water in sight. I didn’t know precisely how to quench my spiritual thirst, but I knew what I was looking for in my life. I was seeking the presence and love of God in the center of my heart.
My heart hungered for His love and to be consciously aware of His presence moment by moment in my life. I knew the answer would not be found by reading and studying scripture about Him; my one desire was to experience His spirit and being in my heart.
The chair in the middle of the room represented a Genesis moment in which I had to stop running from becoming quiet long enough to listen for what God might say to me. I remember James Robison, a protégé of Billy Graham, after preaching to millions of people in revival crusades as a young man, came to a crossroads in his life where he recognized he was spiritually drained and empty. When he got desperate enough to slow down, give up, and listen, he shared that God spoke to him in his spirit and said, “I’ve seen your ministry over the past several years; how would you like to see mine?” As a result, he stepped away from conducting the crusades. Instead, he spent the last half of his life overseeing an international organization for impoverished children and people around the globe as the spirit of Christ energized his life.
Today’s hidden secret in Christian ministry and nationally known circles of ministry is chiefly ego-driven, and few leaders have inner peace and a deepening spiritual relationship with Christ. Likewise, after nearly thirty years of ministry, I also came to a turning point in which I lost my first love for God, and I was dying on the inside too. I am thankful for the awareness I needed a dramatic change in my journey with God and dared to seek an inner transformation of my heart and life. (Silence is one of the purest forms of Worship and Prayer)
So as I sat down in my chair, I knew it was long past due for me to stop talking and only listen to God so I could sort out his voice and will for my life. I soon discovered in the silence how to be present with God in the Eternal Now of His Spirit. I found in the silence as I let go of my innermost secrets and worries, God drew near to me. In the stillness and quiet, I encountered the true lover of my soul. In the presence of Christ, the most I could do was the least I could do by letting go and releasing all of me and my hidden agenda. I found unconditional acceptance, love, and renewed intimacy in my relationship with Christ. Whether you recognize it or not, we all regularly need a quiet place, one-on-one with God, to become intimately involved with each other. (Thoughts in Solitude)
Image by Jez Timms via Unsplash
