Spiritual Disciplines Archives - Page 3 of 6 - Sharla Fritz
March 5, 2019

Spiritual Disciplines: Slowing

This post is part of my Spiritual Discipline series where we will explore practices that connect us with Jesus in His Word. If you want to find out more about Spiritual Disciplines you can look here. 

I once heard a story about an American traveler on an African safari. A typical type-A American, he wanted to see as much as possible in the time he had on the continent. And because he wanted to see parts of the land where travel was difficult, he hired some local people to carry his supplies.

On the first morning, they got up early and made encouraging progress. The second morning everyone once again rose with the sun and they covered a great distance. The third day the party traveled far. But on the fourth morning, the local people simply sat under the trees and refused to move on.

The American tourist became impatient, but no amount of coaxing would get the men moving again. Finally, through an interpreter, the tourist asked what the problem was.

The translator relayed their message, “They are waiting for their souls to catch up with their bodies.” [Adapted from Soul Keeping (p. 130), by John Ortberg]

Have you ever felt like that? Like you have hurried through your days, sped through your tasks, even rushed through your time with God so quickly that your soul has been left behind?

I know I have.

Our society is built on hurry. We try to pack our days like we pack for a 2-week vacation–into a carry-on suitcase. I see this in the lives of my piano students who hurry from school to piano lessons to soccer practice to math tutoring. I see it in the lives of those in ministry as they rush from church services to Bible studies to community volunteering to board meetings.

I’ll bet there are days or weeks or months when you too, live in a state of hurry. Modern lives are filled with a myriad of good things and we feel we need to rush to fit them all in.

But when we stop long enough to breathe we realize that our soul has been neglected. It’s Tuesday, but it feels like our soul has been left behind at Saturday.

Slowing

To remedy this situation, I suggest we practice the Spiritual Discipline of Slowing. Perhaps this is not a typical Spiritual Discipline. A search in the concordance confirmed that God’s Word does not say “slow down” in those exact words. Yet we see this concept in Scripture when God talks about our need for rest.

God Himself rested on the seventh day of creation. He commanded His people to rest on the Sabbath.

Through the prophet Isaiah, God told the disobedient Israelites:

For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel,
“In returning and rest you shall be saved;
    in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” (Isaiah 30:15)

And the prophet Jeremiah declared,

Thus says the Lord:
“Stand by the roads, and look,
    and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
    and find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’” (Jeremiah 6:16)

God does not want us to live a life of hurry. In these passages, we see that hurry happens when we insist on relying on our own strength and knowledge. When we feel God’s way is simply too slow and we try to hurry Him along. We step out of His ancient paths in an effort to achieve our objectives–faster.

Jesus’ Example

Perhaps the best Scriptural example of slowing was Jesus Himself. His life was not one of idleness. He was always occupied with preaching, teaching, and healing. Yet in reading the Gospels, I never have the feeling that Jesus hurried. He always took the time that was needed. Even when he was on His way to a very sick twelve-year-old girl, He stopped to speak to a woman who had touched His cloak and been healed of a long, painful illness. (Mark 5:21-33)

Jesus told His disciples:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus didn’t say that we should sit around and do nothing. Instead, we should work with Him. A yoke is a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to a plow or cart. The yoke enables the animals to work together. Jesus invites us to take His yoke, work alongside Him.

I don’t know about you, but hurry frequently enters my life when I attempt to accomplish more than God intends. When I insist on trying to carry all the burdens of this life on my own. In the words of Matthew, I hear Jesus say, “Stop that. Work with me. Don’t take on too much. Don’t try to do it on your own. I have wonderful tasks planned for you, but when you work with Me, it won’t feel like hard labor or a heavy burden. It will be more like rest for your soul. Hurry won’t even enter into the equation.”

Practicing Slowness

So how can we practice slowness and eliminate hurry?

Here are a few suggestions:

Sabbath.The Lord commanded the Sabbath for a reason. He knew we needed it. Time to worship. Time to rest. Time to tend to our souls. If you don’t already observe the Sabbath, I encourage you to take one day a week to engage in corporate worship. To spend time with family and friends. To close the computer or put away the broom. Instead, spend time in God’s Word, read a good book, or take a walk in the woods. (Read more about observing Sabbath here.)

Examine your activities. Is your life one big hurry because you have taken on more than God intended? Take an hour to list all your activities and your family’s activities that involve your time. Prayerfully ask the Lord where you have stepped out of the yoke He has planned for you and tried to do things on your own.

Build a little margin in your day. I’ll admit this is still a hard one for me, but another suggestion for eliminating hurry is to allow more time between appointments and activities. Try not to schedule things back to back. When you need to go somewhere, estimate how long it will take to get there and then allow twice that amount of time. If the drive to the dentist’s office normally takes ten minutes, allow twenty. The extra margin gives you time to notice the lilacs on the way. Or really listen to the words of the song on the radio. If you arrive early, you have time to relax and breathe.

Modern life is fast. We feel we need to keep up. But Dallas Willard, an author who often writes about Spiritual Disciplines, reminds us:

Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.

God knows we need soul rest. And He will provide it.

Next step: Over the next five days, take time to read what God says about rest. Ask Him to teach you and invite Him to point out any changes that need to be made in your life. Thank Him for His promise of soul rest.

Scriptures about Sabbath and rest:

  • Exodus 20:8-11
  • Isaiah 56:2, 6-7
  • Hebrews 4:1-11
  • Matthew 11:28-30
  • Jeremiah 6:16
  • Psalm 116:7
  • Psalm 127:2
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February 26, 2019

Spiritual Disciplines: Examen

This post is part of my Spiritual Discipline series where we will explore practices that connect us with Jesus in His Word. If you want to find out more about Spiritual Disciplines you can look here. 

Another busy day. Teaching music at the Lutheran school in the morning. Piano lessons in the afternoon. Dinner with my sweet hubby. Bible study with my small group in the evening.

I fall into bed exhausted. But before I step into dreamland, I take time to practice Examen. I close my eyes and watch a “video” replay of my day.

I thank God for the good things: a big hug from a preschooler at school, time with my husband, laughter with my awesome Bible study gals.

I ask the Holy Spirit to show me where I messed up that day–yep, I lost my patience with those antsy third-graders–forgive me. Lord.

I look for God’s presence in the ordinary moments of my day and I see Him in the unexpected warm weather in the middle of winter, in the faces of the children as they sing of God’s love, and in the words of hope in God’s Word.

I go to sleep forgiven and grateful.

The Spiritual Discipline of Examen

The practice of Examen is one of my favorite Spiritual Disciplines.

I know intellectually that God is always with me. I grab onto God’s promise:

I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. (Joshua 1:5)

But sometimes I forget. I get caught up in my to-do list, in the hectic activities of each day. I forget that God is always with me to love me, guide me, and cheer me on. Examen helps me be more aware of Christ in the mundane moments of every day.

You too?

To practice the Spiritual Discipline of Examen, start by finding a quiet place and asking the Spirit to guide your time of reflection. Close your eyes and review the last 24 hours. Ask yourself questions like:

  • What inspired gratitude today?
  • What happened that was painful, sad, or disappointing?
  • What moment do I now regret and need to confess?
  • What moments of my day were life-giving?
  • What moments of my day were life-draining?
  • When did I sense God’s nearness?
  • When did my hectic pace of life crowd out a sense of God’s nearness?
  • When did I give and receive love?
  • When did I feel an absence of love?
  • What did God teach me today?

Spend some time thanking God for His presence throughout the day and thank Him for the things that brought joy. Confess the sins the Spirit brought to mind and receive forgiveness because of Jesus’ sacrifice.

Visual Examen

Recently, I discovered a more hands-on way to practice Examen in a book titled Praying in Color:  I have adapted this method for our Spiritual discipline journey.

For this practice,

  1. Start by downloading and printing a sheet with a geometric pattern that will guide your experience.
  2. In the center of the pattern, write the words of Joshua 1:5: I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.
  3. Then, in the spaces closest to the center, write down things for which you are grateful. Did you get a hug from a preschooler? Did you see a spectacular sunset? Write down anything from the last 24 hours that brought you joy.
  4. Next, ask yourself a few questions about your day. In the outer ring of the pattern, write a word or two that recalls these moments:
  • When did I feel closest to God?
  • When did I feel distant?
  • When did I mess up and sin? Where do I need to confess and receive forgiveness?

End with a time of confession and thanksgiving. If you like, color the spaces of the design while you pray. Many people find the act of coloring focuses their thoughts. (I suggest that you at least darken the spaces listing your sins so the words are no longer visible–symbolizing God’s cleansing mercy.)

God is with us. But sometimes we forget. Examen helps us appreciate the Lord’s presence in the ordinary and mundane. 

Examen helps us appreciate the Lord's presence in the ordinary and mundane. Share on X

Next step: Download and print the Examen pattern. For Use it to guide your Examen practice today. Here a few Scriptures to focus your time with God:

  • Deuteronomy 31:6-8, Psalm 139:1-6
  • Hebrews 13:5, Psalm 139:23-24
  • Psalm 139:7-12, 1 Kings 8:39
  • Psalm 73:23, 1 Samuel 16:7
  • 2 Corinthians 4:7-10, 1 Chronicles 28:9
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February 19, 2019

Spiritual Disciplines: Prayer Journaling

This post is part of my Spiritual Discipline where we will explore practices that connect us with Jesus in His Word. If you want to find out more about Spiritual Disciplines you can look here. 

Every morning I grab a cup of tea and sit in the comfy chair in my office. I settle in with my Bible for a quiet time with the Lord. I may spend the time working through a book of the Bible or completing the homework for my small group study. I have a small stack of memory verse cards that I review and a prayer list to guide my prayer time.

I love this time with the Lord, but can I be honest here? The thing I most struggle with is prayer. I’m so grateful that God hears my cries to Him. I feel so blessed that through Christ we have the privilege of approaching God in prayer.

But too often, I’m in the middle of interceding for a friend and a stray thought enters my brain asking, “What will you make for dinner tonight?” I berate myself for my lack of concentration and turn back to the prayer at hand, but the next minute my thoughts wander to the heaps of laundry that must be done or the long list of errands for the day.

Because I struggle with attention in prayer, I have found prayer journaling helpful. Putting pen to paper keeps my mind on talking to God instead of my grocery list. The physical act of writing focuses my thoughts.

Ways to Use a Prayer Journal

There are many ways to use a prayer journal. Here are a few ways that have been helpful for me:

  • Recording an account of your prayer requests and God’s answers. Write down your request and the date you first prayed for that person or concern. When the prayer is answered, write down the date and a prayer of thanksgiving.
  • Pouring out your heart to God. When I’ve been in a particularly difficult season, I have used the pages in my journal to ask God questions, to empty out my anger, or to vent my frustration. King David’s example in the Psalms shows me that God does not seem to mind this. He listens to His children and knows that after I have poured out my problems, I am more ready to receive His peace.
  • Keeping a gratitude journal. For a season, I daily wrote down three things for which I was thankful. By intentionally seeing all that God had already given me, my whiny, discontented attitude was changed.
My Favorite Way to Journal My Prayers

But this is my favorite way to use my prayer journal:

  • Respond to Scripture. By turning what I read in God’s Word into a prayer, my mind is focused and I am able to apply what I have read.

For instance, one day I read Matthew 22 and these words from the Parable of the Wedding Feast struck me:

Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’ But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business. Matthew 22:4-5

And I wrote this prayer:

Lord, forgive me when I have ignored Your invitation to spend time with You. When I have gone off to my business–not giving You the time You deserve. Thank You for providing a feast for those You love. You give us all Your richest blessings–too often I ignore them. Thank You for Your love and forgiveness.

You don’t need a formula for your prayers. Just let the Holy Spirit guide you.

But if you would like a starting point, here are some questions to direct your prayers:

  • What in this passage inspires me to praise God?
  • What does this passage prompt me to confess?
  • How does the passage inspire me to pray for myself?
  • How does it inspire me to pray for others?
  • How does this passage spark thanksgiving?
  • What does this passage teach me about God?
  • How does this passage prompt me to pray over my everyday life and decisions?
Through Christ, we have the blessing and privilege of approaching God in prayer. Share on X

Grab a journal or a spiral notebook. Or start a new file on your computer. Open up God’s Word and write out your prayers.

Next step: Find a place to journal your prayers: fancy journal, half-used spiral notebook, computer file. For the next 5 days journal your prayers. Here are a few inspiring Scriptures to get you started:

  • Psalm 43
  • Psalm 86
  • Matthew 22:1-14
  • Luke 15:11-32
  • Romans 5:1-8  
Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: ,
February 12, 2019

Spiritual Disciplines: SACRED Reading

This post is part of my Spiritual Disciplines where we will explore practices that connect us with Jesus in His Word. If you want to find out more about Spiritual Disciplines you can look here. 

One of the most memorable meals I ever had happened in Brussels, Belgium. My family and I were on a European tour–a bargain bus trip. One of those if-it’s-Tuesday-this-must-be-Germany tours.

We arrived in Brussels around 5:00 pm and were informed that we only had the evening to explore the city. Early in the morning, the bus would be on its way to Luxembourg. So my husband and two teenage kids strolled from our hotel to the city center. We had every intention of finding a nice restaurant for dinner, but then I saw it–the famous Leonidas Belgian Chocolate shop. I couldn’t resist a peek inside, thinking I would come back after dinner for dessert. But inside, I saw the hundreds of chocolate possibilities and had the bright idea: Why don’t we have chocolate for dinner?

So we all picked out a bag of our favorites and went out into the city square to savor our chocolate treasures. Each bite was so delicious I wanted it to last forever. I let each morsel melt until it was gone, enjoying each chocolatey moment.

SACRED Reading

SACRED Reading is a way to savor God’s Word like I reveled in those chocolates. It helps us to meditate on Scripture. As we savor God’s Word, it melts into our hearts and the Holy Spirit transforms us.

To focus on Scripture in this way, I choose a short passage of no more than eight verses and use the word SACRED to guide the process:

Silence your thoughts. Begin by quieting your spirit. Call on the name of the triune God and ask the Holy Spirit to guide your time of listening. At first, your wandering thoughts may seem to crowd out any quietness, but simply bring your thoughts back to the Father and eventually the cacophony in your head will die down.

Attend to the passage. Read your chosen verses. Ideally, you will read the passage out loud. Read slowly. Pause when it seems that God is drawing your attention to a particular sentence or phrase. Let the words resonate in your heart.

Contemplate the Word. Meditate on the passage, especially on any words the Holy Spirit seems to be speaking directly to you today. Do not hurry this time. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring up any feelings, doubts, or fears buried deep in the recesses of your soul. Thoroughly explore your soul for your most genuine response to these words of God.

Respond to the text. After you have taken time to listen, speak. That is, pray, pouring out your heart to God in response to what He has just spoken to you. If the passage inspired joy, offer thanks. If it brought a sense of conviction, confess.

Exhale and rest. Read the text again and rest in the love of God. Simply wait with the Lord who loves you more than you can know.

Dwell in the Word. As you come out of this restful state, ask the Spirit, “What truth can I carry into my day?” Think about a truth or promise you received that will help you live out God’s Word.

SACRED Reading helps me slow down long enough to hear God’s voice. It’s the difference between gulping down a sandwich and letting every bit of a Belgian chocolate melt on my tongue.

Savor and Receive

Let’s savor God’s Word. God longs to speak to us. In His Word we receive His wisdom and instruction for our everyday lives. We receive His unfailing love and His transcendent joy. We receive peace and stillness for our souls.

As we savor God's Word, it melts into our hearts and the Holy Spirit transforms us. Share on X

Next step: Try SACRED Reading for the next five days. Here is a list of Scriptures to get you started:

  • Psalm 1
  • Isaiah 40:28-31
  • Isaiah 43:1-7
  • Matthew 5:3-10
  • Ephesians 3:14-21

204196 - Copy (2)This post is adapted from my Bible study book: Soul Spa: 40 Days of Spiritual Renewal (CPH). This book examines Spiritual Disciplines as a way to develop intimacy with the Savior and to care for our souls. It is available here and here.

Filed Under: Bible Study, Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: , ,
February 5, 2019

Spiritual Disciplines: Palms Down, Palms Up Prayer

This post is part of my Spiritual Discipline series where we will explore practices that connect us with Jesus in His Word. If you want to find out more about Spiritual Disciplines you can look here. 

In her wildly popular book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo encourages her readers to get rid of any belongings that no longer spark joy. That cardigan you loved, but is now worn and pilly? Discard it. Those shoes that took you all over town, but are now looking rather sad? Toss ’em. Kondo encourages us to keep only those things that bring joy. (Note: Kondo’s book is helpful, but I cannot wholeheartedly recommend it because she also talks about treating your belongings as if they are living things.)

I admit that I need to sort through my belongings. There are clothes in my closet that I wish I had never purchased and items that are well past their prime. My books outnumber the spaces on my bookshelves and documents spill out of my filing cabinets.

But even though I should tend to my overflowing possessions, this season I want to tend to my heart. I want to take the time to sit quietly with Jesus and allow Him to point out what needs to be tossed. I want to ask: Lord, is there a sinful attitude that I’ve been hanging onto? Is there some anxiety or fear that I haven’t let go? Am I still grasping onto self-sufficiency? Or an illusion of control over my life?

So I am using Spiritual Disciplines to guide my time in the Word. I’m using these ancient practices to spend time with my Savior. Spiritual Disciplines have been used by faithful Christians for centuries, even millennia. They are a way to focus our attention on our Savior and to receive His gifts.

Palms Down, Palms Up Prayer

One Spiritual Discipline that has helped me in the past is the Palms Down, Palms Up prayer. This prayer helps me sort out the stuff in my heart. To release what is sinful, harmful, or crippling. And to receive what is comforting and encouraging.

Palms Down: I begin this prayer by sitting in a comfortable chair and placing my palms down on my legs to symbolize my desire to release my concerns to God. I ask the Holy Spirit to show me what I need to let go. Is there anything blocking my relationship with Christ? What anxieties have I unconsciously been hanging onto?

My prayer might go something like: Lord, You know that I’m concerned about John’s health and about our kids in China. I confess that I have not trusted You completely in these areas. I’m anxious about my work. I’m stressed out about my long to-do list. But I now release all of these concerns into Your loving hands.

Palms Up: After I have released my worries, confessed my sins, and unloaded my self-sufficiency, I turn my palms up to symbolize my desire to receive from God.

Now my prayer might be something like: Lord, I praise You for Your love for me and all those I care about. I thank You for the peace You so faithfully give–peace that passes understanding.

I invite you to try the Palms Down, Palms Up prayer. It’s a simple way to come humbly before God and empty our hearts of our fears and our sins. Turn your palms down and unload the burden of guilt. Let go of anxiety. Give Him whatever is bothering you and whatever is stressing you out. Then turn your palms up to receive God’s forgiveness, peace, love, truth, or rest.

Give God whatever is bothering you and receive His forgiveness, peace, love, and rest. Share on X
Let Go

Maybe, like me, you need to clean out your closets. But even more important than hiring an organizational expert to sort through our closets, is asking the Holy Spirit to sort through our hearts.

Philippians 4:6-7 says:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

It is so reassuring that God invites us to give Him all our worries, anxieties, doubts, and fears. He is willing to hold them for us and give us His peace and love in return. And the more we allow Him to carry our bag of uncertainties, the more His peace will guard our hearts and minds from Satan’s attacks.

Let go of your concerns and receive God’s peace.

Here are some Scriptures to guide your prayer:

Palms Down: Psalm 55:22, Palms Up: Isaiah 26:3

Palms Down: 1 Peter 5:6-7, Palms Up: John 15:9

Palms Down: Hebrews 12:1, Palms Up: Jeremiah 31:3

Palms Down: Psalm 51:3-6, Palms Up: 1 John 1:5-9

Palms Down: Philippians 4:4-6, Palms Up: Philippians 4:7

Next step: For the next five days, practice the Palms Down, Palms Up prayer.  Experience the joy that comes from unloading the burden of your fears and guilt and receiving the Savior’s love.

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January 14, 2019

The Antidote for a Distracted Heart

distractedheart

My heart has been distracted this past week.

I have three–no, four–no, five major projects I am working on. Planning meetings and emails with colleagues have crowded my day. My own seemingly endless to-do list threatens to choke out any sanity I have left.

And because of these distractions, my heart experienced symptoms of anxiety: the fever of too much to do and the cold sweat of not being able to get everything done. 

You have probably felt symptoms like these. Has the strain of endless work at home or the stress of the workplace have left your heart shaky and weak?

What is the antidote for a distracted heart? Simply to bring it to Jesus. 

Francis de Sales, a priest in Switzerland in the 1500’s, wrote:

If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently and replace it tenderly in its Master’s presence. And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back and place it again in Our Lord’s presence, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed.

Jesus promised His disciples–and us–“I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).  But in the rush of all my life crises, I tend to forget–He’s here. In the preoccupation of my jumbled mind, I grasp at the tangled cords of my thoughts and let go of the Savior’s hands. In fixing my eyes on the problems, the hassles, the deadlines, I take my gaze off the Lord’s hands–the hands that continually beckon me to come.

distractedheartpinThis week I still have a hundred things to complete. But the most important thing on my task list is to continually bring my heart back to Christ and His peace. Whenever my heart has wandered away from God’s tranquil presence, I will gently bring it back to His loving hands.

That is the antidote to a distracted soul.

So whenever you notice the symptoms of anxiety and stress, recognize your distracted heart. Bring it back to Jesus.

Next step: This week notice the symptoms of a distracted heart: anxiety and stress. Whenever you experience these symptoms, stop for a moment. Whisper the Savior’s name. Sing a song of praise in your heart. Remind yourself with Jesus’ own words, “I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Bring your distracted heart back to the presence of God.

If you would like to learn more about avoiding distractions and living a focused life, check out my new book Distracted: Finding Faith-Focus Habits for a Frenzied World on Amazon. The ebook is only $3.99!

Inside you will find 16 Faith-Focus Habits that will help you:

  • find focus by connecting to God 
  • truly pay attention to what is essential
  • prioritize your day
  • find focus in your work
  • make important choices
  • defeat the distractions of technology
  • find rest in our hectic world
Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Growth Tagged With: ,
December 5, 2018

Solitude and Silence in a Noisy World

Today I’m grateful to featured on The Mudroom blog. Here is an excerpt of my article:

 

I saw my chance. Could I do it? Could I get away with two minutes by myself?

My two toddlers were glued to the TV screen watching Sesame Street. Maybe I could actually go to the bathroom alone. Perhaps I could have a moment of solitude.

But thirty seconds after I closed the bathroom door I heard a tiny knock. “Who’s there?” I called out.

“It’s me—cutie pie,” said a sweet little two-year-old voice.

Solitude and silence are rare commodities for mothers of young children. Hungry babies cry. Toy fire trucks whir and beep. Silence? What’s that? Toddlers cling to our legs. Infants demand to be held. Solitude? Not going to happen.

Now I’m on the other side of mothering. My children are grown and have moved out of the house. My house is quiet—sometimes too quiet. I bumble around in my big empty nest with physical solitude and silence as frequent visitors. Yet my mind is often noisy and I struggle with finding meaningful quietness.

Click here to keep reading…

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines
November 27, 2018

5 Steps to Soul Rest in the Hustle of the Holidays

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you

The holidays are upon us. I love the smells of pine and mulled cider. The sight of sparkling lights and glittering packages. The sounds of Christmas carols and jingle bells. The tastes of hot cocoa and Christmas cookies.

But along with all of these wonderful things, the holidays can also arrive with a ton of stress.

This is especially true in the age of social media when everyone posts pictures of their perfect family outings. When we see Pinterest posts of dazzling decorations and fantastic food. We may feel pressured to not only do it all but to do it better.

This threatens our soul rest. It prevents us from experiencing Christmas in “heavenly peace.”

So how can we find soul rest even in the hustle of the holidays?

Here are five ways I’ve found that can help:

Evaluate

Evaluate what is most important. Talk with your family and come up with a list of the five things that are most meaningful to you. You might discover no one cares about the annual trip to see the city’s Christmas tree or getting tons of presents. Highlight the traditions that are most important. Put those on your holiday calendar and consider dropping the rest.

5 Ways to Find Soul Rest in the Hustle of the Holidays

Simplify

Simplify your traditions.  When I was growing up, my family entertained a lot and my mother made sure we had plenty of treats for all the visitors. Every December we baked and decorated hundreds of cookies. When I grew up, I tried to carry on that tradition. But now I’ve simplified Christmas baking to only three types of cookies–my family’s favorites.

Some other ways we simplify: We put up a Christmas tree, but don’t put up any outdoor decorations. My husband and I have agreed to exchange only one hand-made gift. We send out an “Epiphany Letter” after the holidays instead of trying to send out cards before Christmas.

Choose

Choose a more peaceful holiday. After you’ve identified your most treasured Christmas traditions and simplified them, other activities and invitations are sure to arrive and threaten your peaceful Christmas. At each new opportunity, determine is this added activity will enhance your Christmas peace or unravel it. Choose peace over hustle and bustle.

Let Go

Let go of guilt and comparison. Once we’ve made the choice to have a peaceful Christmas, Pinterest posts of perfect Christmas trees will appear. We’ll see Facebook photos of friends out ice skating. We’ll be tempted to think we should be doing those things too. But let’s not false guilt and joy-stealing comparison derail us from our choice of a peaceful Christmas.

Focus

Focus on Jesus, the new-born King! Christ came to bring us soul rest. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Because of His humble birth, sacrificial death, and glorious resurrection, we don’t have to strive for acceptance with God. We don’t have to work hard to get to heaven. We simply receive God’s gifts of faith and salvation. When I focus on that fact, I find rest. Rest from working for approval, attention, and acclaim.

Some ways to focus on Jesus: Read a Christmas devotional. Reread the Christmas story in Luke. Listen to Christian Christmas music while you’re cooking dinner. Stop for a moment in the middle of the day to thank the Father for the gift of His Son.

Jesus invites me and invites you to let go of the hurry and activity of the season and rest in His love.

Next step: Make a list of your most meaningful Christmas traditions. Find ways to simplify some of them. Choose a peaceful holiday season. Let go of guilt and comparison. Focus on Jesus, the newborn King!

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: ,
October 9, 2018

Joy Stealers: Perfectionism


I used to be a slave to perfectionism. But my friend Nina changed my life.

Nina is the mother of six beautiful children. Back when we were both homeschooling our kids, we sometimes got our families together at field trips, at picnics, or at play dates at the park. Nina is a wonderfully creative woman and an amazing mother.

There was just one problem. Sometimes she couldn’t remember her kid’s names when she wanted to call them. Often when she was trying to call one, she went through all six names before she hit upon the name of the child she actually wanted to call.

But Nina would just laugh at herself and go on. Nina also freely admitted when she had messed up. She didn’t even try to cover up or make excuses when she made a mistake.

And I liked her anyway.

That might sound a little odd, but you see, I thought that I had to be perfect for people to like me. I was trying very hard to hide my mistakes. I might tell you about my successes, but my failures? No way.

I was struggling with perfectionism. And perfectionism was stealing my joy.

The realization that I liked Nina even with her honesty about her faults was a revelation to me.

The fact that I actually liked her more because of her transparency, was life-changing. It was like someone had just given me permission to take off the control-top pantyhose I had been wearing for years. With Nina, I could relax and be myself, because she was so authentically… Nina.

Gradually I learned to laugh at my mistakes like Nina. I admitted when I was struggling with my parenting and asked others for advice. When I messed up, I apologized and moved on, instead of silently berating myself and making excuses to others.

In my spiritual life, I have also at times felt like I had to be perfect to come to God. That He wouldn’t like me if He knew who I really was. Intellectually, I knew this wasn’t the case. But whenever I made a mistake, slipped up, said something I could take back, I didn’t really imagine God forgiving me. I felt He was disappointed in me.

Is perfectionism stealing your joy

It has taken me a long time to really appreciate the fact that God loves me even though I’m messed up.

Romans 5: 8 says;

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

In other words:

Even though I’m not perfect God loves me. Even though I hurt Him and the people around me, He sent Jesus to die for me. Even though I’m a mess, He continues to call out to me, to draw me closer to Him.

God is continually working to make me more like Jesus, but I don’t have to be perfect before He loves me.

Perfectionism is a joy stealer because it is unachievable.

Perfect is an impossible standard, but forgiven is a mind-blowing fact.

Live joyfully forgiven.


Next step: In what area of life do you sometimes struggle with perfectionism? Remember God loves us even though we’ve messed up. He sent Jesus to take the punishment for all our mess-ups so that we can live free from perfectionism.

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With:
March 27, 2018

Practicing Lent: Submission

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One day, when our children were ages three and six, my husband came home from work and announced, “Let’s homeschool next year.”

My first thought was, “That’s easy for you to say since you wouldn’t be the one doing it.”

My second thought was, “I’ve already told God that homeschooling is something I would NEVER do.”

Submission is a spiritual discipline. Not necessarily in submitting to our husbands or to figures of authority–although God may deal with us in those areas as well. I’m talking about submission to God. Surrendering to God’s will for our lives is a way to demonstrate our trust in His goodness and love.

Lent is a time when we often give up something–a sacrifice of a food or activity that will help us remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us. When I read the Gospels I am astounded by Christ’s constant sacrifice for us on earth. Not only a surrender of His life on the cross but a daily sacrifice of His own preferences–a submission to the Father’s will.

Jesus’ prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane informs us that the sacrifice on the cross was not easy. He asked if there was any other way to accomplish the Father’s plan, but He added, “Not as I will, but as You will.” And even before Gethsemane, Jesus often said that His purpose was to do the Father’s will. He gave up a lot when He came to earth. In heaven, Jesus was worshipped; on earth, He was questioned and ridiculed. In heaven, Jesus never experienced hunger or pain; on earth, His stomach growled and His feet probably developed blisters. But when God asked Jesus to give up His life for unworthy humans, Jesus didn’t stamp those feet and declare–like I did–“That is something I will NEVER do.” He submitted to the will of the Father.

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All those years ago when my husband suggested homeschooling, I told my husband I would look into it. I had no intention of actually educating my children at home, but my plan was to do a little research and then inform my husband that it wasn’t for us. Trouble was, as I was reading about homeschooling, I could feel the Spirit’s gentle nudge that this was God’s plan for us. I didn’t want to homeschool, but eventually, I submitted my will to God’s idea and enjoyed fifteen wonderful years of educating my children.

Is the Lord asking you to exercise the Spiritual discipline of Submission? Maybe you already sense God asking you to do something that you are not exactly thrilled about. Perhaps you’ve already drawn a line in the sand and told God, “Never.” But God is drawing you to Himself reminding you of His great love and that He has wonderful plans for your life. All He asks is that we trust Him.

Pray, asking the Father if there is something you need to surrender in order to grow in faith. Ask Him:

  • Are You nudging me to do something that’s out of my comfort zone?
  • Is there dream or goal that I have that is not in Your plan?
  • Is there a hobby, activity, or organization that I need to give up in order to spend more time with You?
  • Lord, is there something wonderful You have for me that I haven’t even thought of?

As we remember Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, let us also ask God if there is something in our own lives that we need to surrender. It is never easy to give up our own ideas, our own plans, our own dreams, but God promises that He has something wonderful planned for us.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

He is ready to give us more than we have ever dreamed.

Next step: Download this resource with Scriptures about Christ’s submission to the Father’s will. This week contemplate Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf. Then ask the Father if there is anything you need to surrender.

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: ,
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