Spiritual Disciplines Archives - Page 4 of 6 - Sharla Fritz
March 20, 2018

Practicing Lent: Kindness

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My mother, Lorna, is an expert in practicing kindness. She bakes apple pies for the people who mow her lawn and shovel her snow. She makes meals for those who are ill. She takes the time to visit people in nursing homes and hospitals. She often practices the Spiritual discipline of kindness.

Spiritual disciplines are often divided into categories of inward and outward practices. Inward disciplines include Scripture study, prayer, and meditation. Outward practices include mentoring, hospitality, and service.

Often I think of service as something big and time-consuming like spending a day at a homeless shelter or taking time each week to volunteer at a food pantry. These are wonderful ways to serve, but service does not always have to be something huge and impressive. Sometimes it’s the little things that mean a lot.

Simple kindness is one way we can serve each other. Kindness is listed as a fruit of the Spirit along with love, joy, and peace. Yet, kindness often seems to be in short supply in the world. Drivers honk their horns. People cut in lines. Frustrated parents yell at their kids.

I am no different. Although I want to exhibit the fruit of kindness, do I allow that driver coming out of McDonald’s to merge in front of me? Well, no. Do I take the time to take soup to an ailing church member? Um, no.

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Kindness begins with noticing. Too often I am too busy, too focused on getting everything checked off my to-do list to even observe who could use an encouraging word. To see the disappointment on a child’s face. To realize my friend is hurting.

But I want to do better. This week I’m asking God to develop the fruit of kindness in me. To help me notice someone each day who needs a kind word or a bit of help.

Because this doesn’t come naturally to me, I did a little research on the Internet on simple ways to show kindness:

  • Smile and say hello to a stranger walking on the street.
  • Buy a cup of coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop.
  • Leave a sweet note for someone you love.
  • Bring a meal to someone who is ill.
  • Give a compliment to someone who isn’t expecting one.
  • Bring a treat to share with coworkers.
  • Send a card to someone just to let them know you are praying for them.
  • Text a friend a picture that says, “I’m thinking of you” or “Remember this?”
  • Buy cookies or popcorn or whatever from the little kid who shows up at your front door.
  • Invite a friend to lunch.

I once heard a Christian speaker say that she wished that whenever people in the world thought of Christians, they would always think of them as the kindest people they knew.

Jesus was kind. Even on His busiest days, He stopped on His journey to heal a servant and offer words of encouragement to a suffering woman. He took the time to bless “insignificant” little children. When we practice kindness, we are demonstrating the love of Christ. The One who loved us enough to die for us motivates us to share His love.

This week, let’s meditate on God’s kindness to us. Let’s pray that God would help us notice hurting people who cross our paths and to enable us to give them a small gift of kindness.

Next step: Download this resource with Scriptures on kindness. Every morning ask God to help you notice at least one person who needs a gift of kindness.

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: , ,
March 13, 2018

Practicing Lent: Gratitude

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Every week a dozen young people pass through my home for piano lessons. I help little fingers push black and white keys so that they make beautiful music. At the end of each lesson–if the student has reached the practice goals–I give him or her a small prize.

And every week the parents remind their children, “What do you say?”

“Thank you.”

Why do we always have to be reminded to say thank you?

When Jesus healed the ten lepers in the Bible, only one returned to say, “Thank you” (Luke 17:11-19).

In the Old Testament, King Jehoshaphat appointed a special group of people to sing to the Lord and to remind the people of Israel, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His steadfast love endures forever” (1 Chronicles 20:20-21).

The Bible reminds all of us to say, “Thank you.” The book of Psalms alone has fourteen verses with the command, “Give thanks to the Lord.”

I, too, need reminders. My prayers more often resemble a to-do list for God than a litany of thanks.

Often I take God’s blessings for granted. As I write this, I am especially thankful for my furnace. My daughter lives in a part of China where they do not have central heat. Even though they have space heaters, sometimes the temperature in their apartment only gets up to 54 degrees! Here in Chicago, the temperature outside today is only 20 degrees. Without our furnace, we would be shivering. Yet, I often forget to thank God for the luxury of central heat.

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The Spiritual Discipline of Gratitude is another form of prayer. This discipline opens my eyes to all the blessings God has already given. It helps me appreciate God as the Giver of Blessings and to remember His generous, loving character. Instead of continually wanting more, I find I have enough. Gratitude leads to contentment.

Here are some simple ways to practice Gratitude this week:

  • Keep a gratitude journal. Each day, write down three things for which you are thankful.
  • Thank God for the little things. Thank Him for your furnace (or your air conditioner, depending on what you need today!). As you go through your day, thank Him for your comfortable bed, your coffee maker, your amazing cell phone.
  • Use social media. Use this modern tool for good! Each day post a picture of something you are thankful for.
  • Try Bible journaling. Record prayers of thanksgiving in the margins of your Bible next to verses on giving thanks. Put a date beside the prayers as a record of God’s faithfulness throughout your life.
  • Make your own gratitude psalm. Read Psalm 136 and use it as a model to thank God for all He has done in your life.

I pray that I will not be like my piano students who need to be reminded every week to say, “Thank you.” God has given me so many blessings. May I forever praise Him for His gift of eternal life. May I thank Him for His abiding presence. May I express my gratitude for gifts large and small.

Next step: Download this resource with Scriptures about gratitude. Read and meditate on these verses. Decide how you would like to practice this Spiritual discipline this week. If you choose to keep a gratitude journal, the resource has a place for you to record your thanksgiving.

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March 6, 2018

Practicing Lent: Prayer Walking

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Several years ago, one of our church members suggested that our congregation try prayer walking.

Prayer walking?

I had never heard of it. Mary explained that prayer walking was simply walking through a neighborhood and praying for the people who lived there. She suggested that we do it as a ministry to the people who lived near our church.

So one Saturday morning we gathered at the church and divided into groups of two. We divvied up the area around the church and two by two each group walked a few blocks, praying as they went. We didn’t stop and bow our heads and fold our hands. People observing us would have thought we were simply talking to each other. But we were doing something much more important.

We were talking to God.

“Lord, we pray for the family that lives in this house. May You grant them health.”

“Holy Spirit, draw the people in this neighborhood to You. Help our congregation be a mirror of Your love.”

“Father, where people are hurting, show them Your peace.”

The simple act of prayer walking helped us connect to God and to the people we were praying for. Our hearts were more aware of the people who lived in the houses we passed by each Sunday on the way to church.

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Prayer is an important Spiritual discipline. God gives us the privilege of approaching Him in prayer.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6

He instructs us to pray for others.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. 1 Timothy 2:1

He tells us that our prayers make a difference.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. James 5:16

He invites us to pour out our hearts to Him.

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Psalm 62:8

Why try prayer-walking? Perhaps you feel your prayer life needs a jump-start–prayer walking can give you a fresh perspective. Or maybe you are an action-oriented person–prayer walking may seem more engaging than sitting with your eyes closed. Perhaps God is calling you to pray for a certain group of people–prayer walking in their environment will open your eyes to their needs.

Here are some ways to try Prayer Walking:

  • Prayer Walk through your neighborhood. Like my church did, pray for the people who live near you.
  • Prayer Walk through your workplace. On a coffee break, walk through your office space or work area, silently praying for your coworkers.
  • Prayer Walk through your church. Alone or with a friend, walk through the spaces of the church praying for the pastors, the musicians, the people who sit in the pews, and the kids in the Sunday School rooms.
  • Prayer Walk in or around city hall, court buildings, or other places of government. Pray for public officials, that God’s wisdom would be upon them.
  • Prayer Walk in nature. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1). Praise God for His creative genius as you walk in a park or hike in a forest.

Walking in nature is one of my favorite things to do. Somehow I feel closer to God away from manmade things. In the quiet of His creation, I am refreshed in His love.

This week–take a walk. Embrace the privilege of prayer and talk to the God who hears.

Next step: Block out a period of time this week for a prayer walk. Decide where you want to walk. Download this resource with Scripture verses to inspire your prayers.

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February 27, 2018

Practicing Lent: Unplugging

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I love technology. Most of the time.

I’m so glad that I can play peek-a-boo with my 20-month-old granddaughter via Skype–even though she lives 8000 miles away. So happy that I can text a funny picture to my son (his favored mode of communication) in the middle of the day and get a “ha-ha” from 400 miles away in only seconds.

But sometimes technology crowds my life, distracting me from what’s really important. Even as my nose is in the Bible, my ears may be listening for that important call. I close my eyes to pray but keep peeking at my phone.

Spiritual disciplines have been around for thousands of years. When Christians first began these practices there wasn’t a Spiritual discipline called “Unplugging” because there was nothing to unplug. They didn’t have to deal with the distractions of email, text messages, and Facebook. But even then they felt the need to get alone with God. Jesus Himself often rose early and retreated to a lonely place to pray.

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After one particularly busy day when people were coming and going, Jesus said to His disciples, “Come away by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31).

Hear Jesus inviting you to a quiet place today:

Come away to a quiet place and get some rest. Silence that cell phone. Turn off the Internet. Ignore Facebook posts and text messages for a while. Take some time to bask in the stillness and hear My voice. The noise, the busyness, the cacophony of technology threatens to down out My peace. So sit in stillness and rest your soul.

So how do we practice Unplugging? What are some practical ways to find quiet from technology? Here are some suggestions:

Each week choose one day to unplug. I celebrate the Sabbath by worshipping God with my brothers and sisters in Christ and by staying off my computer. After six days of writing, blogging and dealing with hundreds of electronic messages, unplugging feels like a breath of fresh air to my technology-suffocated soul.

Each day choose an hour or two to unplug. Turn off your cell phone at eight o’clock. Get out your Bible and journal and spend some time reading God’s Word and hearing His words of love to you.

Choose a period of time to fast from social media. Use the time you would have spent on Facebook or Instagram to read a devotional, listen to Christian music, meet with friends in real life.

Limit your technology use. Choose an amount of time to be online and stick to it. It’s easy to get caught up in all the Internet rabbit trails. Set a timer and stick to your time commitment. The remainder of the day you can rest your soul from the noise of modern life. Have a backup plan for when you’re tempted to go beyond the time limit you set. For instance, write out the Scripture for the day and when technology tempts, meditate on God’s Word.

This week hear Christ’s invitation to come away to a quiet place. Find that quiet in silencing the modern world for a while. Discover rest in God’s peace.

Next step: Decide how you will practice Unplugging this week. Download this free resource to guide your meditation on God’s gift of quiet and rest.

 

Filed Under: Bible Study, Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: , ,
February 20, 2018

Practicing Lent: Personalizing Scripture

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When I was eighteen, a friend of mine gave me a bookmark and I was ecstatic.

Not only because I love to read and always need a bookmark nearby. Not only because it was beautifully handcrafted.

I was over the moon because my friend had cross-stitched my name on the bookmark!

With a name like Sharla, you can’t go to the drugstore and find a personalized toothbrush. Stores do not stock key chains or notebooks or pencils with “Sharla” printed on them.

So having something with my name on it felt so “personal.” It was unique to me. Only another Sharla would want it (and I’ve only met two other Sharlas in my lifetime).

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Recently, my small group was studying 1 Corinthians with the book Live Full, Walk Free. In the last chapter, author Cindy Bultema encouraged readers to personalize 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 by inserting their name in place of the word love.

For example:

Sharla is patient, Sharla is kind. Sharla does not envy, she does not boast, Sharla is not proud. Sharla does not dishonor others, she is not self-seeking, Sharla is not easily angered, she keeps no record of wrongs.

Honestly, this exercise made me cringe a bit because every statement seemed so untrue. I have been known to envy grandparents who have their grandchildren in the same city. I am definitely not patient when my computer fails to cooperate. (Just ask my husband.)

But the process of personalizing this passage was helpful. It brought me to my knees, asking the Holy Spirit to weave this kind of love into my heart.

Personalizing Scripture can be a meaningful spiritual practice. Sometimes it’s easy to read the Bible like a dusty volume directed at people who lived thousands of years ago. Or hear a passage and think of someone else who needs that message. We don’t always feel the impact of God’s words on our own hearts and lives.

But when we put our own names into the passage it can take on a deeper meaning.

One of my favorite passages is Zephaniah 3:17:

The Lord your God is with you,
    he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you;
    He will quiet you with His love;
He will rejoice over you with singing. (NIV 1984)

Now if I put my own name in the verse:

The Lord your God is with Sharla,
    he is mighty to save Sharla.

Suddenly, God seems nearer. I marvel that the Lord rescued insignificant me from Satan and hell.

He will take great delight in Sharla;

Amazing thought! God’s heart is gladdened by me!

He will quiet Sharla with His love;

God knows I am easily stressed out. He is all too aware of my worries and concerns. But He can also quiet my insecurities and anxieties with His love.

He will rejoice over Sharla with singing. 

What?! I inspire song? And music? What an incredible image of God singing songs with my name.

Now it’s your turn. Put your own name in Zephaniah 3:17.

Revel in God’s love for you. Rejoice in His saving strength. Listen for His love song.

Next step: This week practice Personalizing Scripture. Download a resource with Scripture verses to use for this exercise or find your own. Journal what you learned through these personal words of God.

 

Filed Under: Bible Study, Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: , , ,
February 13, 2018

Practicing Lent: Prayer of Recollection

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I settled in my cozy chair, ready to open my Bible and hear from God. Ready to open up to God and tell Him all that was in my heart.

But even as I sat in peaceful quiet, my thoughts left the pages of Scripture and ran to my to-do list. As I spoke to my Savior, my conversation was interrupted by thoughts about upcoming teaching responsibilities, the embarrassing incident that happened yesterday, and the laundry in the dryer.

No doubt about it, I am easily distracted.

During this Lenten season, I want to take time to focus on Christ and the sacrifice He made for me. To do this, I am going to use Spiritual Disciplines–practices Christians have used for centuries to grow closer to God. No doubt, you already use some of these practices–like Bible study, prayer, Holy Communion, and Christian service.

During the next few weeks, I am going to explore some specific forms of these Spiritual disciplines and invite you to do the same. All of these practices will be based on Scripture. As we read, pray, and meditate we will do so using God’s own words to us.

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Prayer of Recollection

This week we will explore the Prayer of Recollection. There are many forms of this prayer, but the purpose is always the same. In the Prayer of Recollection, I recollect–remember who I am in Christ.

Too often I forget this. I see myself as a wife, mother, daughter. I define myself by the work I do. I look in the mirror and see someone who said something insensitive to her spouse. The person who was too busy to help a grieving friend. I wish I could change the mistakes of yesterday.

Too often I forget who I am in Christ. I fail to remember that I am more than my mistakes and flaws. I am more than what I do.

That’s when I need to go to God’s Word. There the Spirit reminds me:

  • I am accepted.

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. Romans 15:7

  • I am chosen.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. John 15:16

  • I am loved.

The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

  • I am made new. 

 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

As I meditate on these truths, I recollect–remember–who I really am.

Dealing with Distractions

But even as I pray and try to direct my thoughts to God’s Word, my mind seems to wander off to other destinations.

Even as I meditate on Christ’s acceptance of me, I wonder if my new boss has accepted me. As I contemplate what it means to be chosen by God, I start to hope I will be chosen for a position that would garner a lot of public attention. Even as I remember Christ’s sacrificial love for me, my thoughts traipse through my to-do list.

I can berate myself and tell myself to get my act together, or I can recollect my soul–bring it back to God by taking note of my distractions. As I pray, I notice my rambling thoughts so that the Holy Spirit can gently deal with any distractions of my heart.

Adele Calhoun writes in her Spiritual Disciplines Handbook:

In the prayer of recollection we pay attention to our wandering thoughts and attachments so that we can be transformed….We open ourselves to seeing how secondary things have become idols of the heart–how our agendas, possessions, appearances and comforts matter more than keeping God first in our lives.

I find it helpful to keep a journal or a simple piece of paper nearby to write down any distractions that come to mind while I’m praying. Putting the reminder to make that dentist appointment on paper, gets it off my mind so I can refocus on Christ. But as I make note of these distractions, I may also discover the “idols of my heart.” Do my thoughts continually travel to an upcoming vacation? Do they constantly turn to my long to-do list? Do I spend more time thinking about my job than God?

I can take all of these diversions to God. I confess any idols. I give Him my concerns and anxieties. As I confess, I receive His forgiveness because of Christ’s work on the cross (1 John 1:9). I am comforted, knowing that the Father is in caring control of all that is happening in my life.

And then, I once again remember that I am a beloved child of God.

Next step: This week practice the prayer of recollection. Download a resource of Scriptures to guide your prayers.

Recollect who you are in Christ

Record any distracting thoughts

Recieve God’s forgiveness and comfort

And again, recollect who you are in Christ.

 

 

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November 28, 2017

3 Ways Abiding in Christ Can Change Your Life: Remaining

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What does abiding in Christ mean? First, it means connecting. Second, it means keeping. Third, it means remaining.

When my husband graduated from seminary, his first call as a pastor was to a church in Missoula, Montana. He had asked for placement in the northeastern part of the United States. So naturally, the powers that be thought Montana would be perfect.

When we first arrived in the city, we immediately wanted to leave. We knew no one. Our family was all in the Midwest or the Northeast. We were lonely and disillusioned. But God asked us to stay–to remain.

This word–remain–helps me understand the concept of abiding in Christ. Lately, I’ve been studying the word abide: What does it mean to abide? What does abiding look like in real life? How can abiding change me?

One of the English meanings of the word abide is “to dwell or reside” as in “I abide in a quaint but remote mountain village.” When you abide somewhere you live there. You stay there. You remain there.

To abide is to remain.

South African pastor Andrew Murray wrote:

It is faith in what Christ is, more than anything else, that will keep you abiding in Him…there is nothing wanting but just my consent to be what He has made me, to remain where He has placed me. I am in Christ.

To remain is to accept who I am in Christ–to not try to be something I’m not.

To remain is to be content where I am–to not fight the place or position God has placed me in.

To remain is to trust God’s goodness, His timing, and His plans for my life.

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Remaining sounds easy. And it is–if you like where you are.

But when the place God has placed you is filled with difficulty–you simply want to move on.

When we first moved to Missoula, Montana we wanted to leave. We did not want to stay. The heartache of loneliness made us want to move on.

But eventually, we grew to love Missoula. Its setting in the Rocky Mountains is stunning. The people of our church were welcoming. The ministry was rewarding.

Remaining was not easy, but in the end, it was worth it.

As I continue to study what it means to abide in Christ, I am learning that it means to remain where He has placed me. To accept His plan for my life. 

This changes my life. If I make the decision to abide, I don’t spend my energy trying to move ahead of God’s will. I don’t constantly struggle against my place or position in life. Instead, I focus on what God wants me to do where I am right now. I remain in His love, drawing on His strength to produce fruit where He has placed me.

To abide is to remain.

Next step: Is remaining easy or difficult for you right now? Ask the Father to give you the strength to remain and produce fruit where you are–whatever your place or station in life.

Filed Under: Contentment, Spiritual Disciplines Tagged With: ,
November 14, 2017

3 Ways Abiding in Christ Can Change You: Keeping

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I have three grandsons. They are all born to the same parents and they all live in the same household. Yet they each have a distinct personality.

One of the ways they differ is in their “cuddle factor.” One grandson prefers to be loved from afar. You need to grab a hug and then let him go. Even as a toddler, he would often try to wriggle from my grasp. Another grandson loves to be held. He is generous with hugs and loves to snuggle during storybook time. The third grandson is somewhere in the middle. He will tolerate hugs, but not too many.

In my own spiritual life, I sometimes act like each of these grandsons. Let me explain.

During my study of the word “abide” I began with John 15:5:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

I learned that the Greek word translated abide in that verse is the word meno. I was surprised that one of the meanings of meno is “to be held, kept, continually.”

In my previous blog post on abiding, I talked about how my focus has often been on producing fruit instead of abiding. I have concentrated on doing “important” things for God, instead of staying connected to Christ.

But the meaning of the Greek word for abide informs me that not only can I not produce fruit on my own, I cannot even abide in my own strength. To abide is not to hang on tight, but “to be held.”  To abide is not continually keep my grip on Christ, but “to be kept.”

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What’s the difference?

I am not the one doing the holding or the keeping. Jesus is.

South African pastor Andrew Murray puts it this way in his book Abiding in Christ:

The soul has but to yield itself to Him, to be still and rest in the confidence that His love has undertaken and that His faithfulness will perform the work of keeping it safe in the shelter of His bosom.

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Abiding in Jesus is nothing but the giving up of oneself to be ruled and taught and led, and so resting in the arms of Everlasting Love.

I have to admit that I am often not very good at this abiding thing. I am often much more like the grandson who resists being held. It seems too passive–too static. Give me a four-point plan and I’m ready to take action. But to sit still and listen to the Lord? To admit I can’t do it by myself? That’s hard to embrace. (Pun intended.)

I’m asking God to help me be more like the grandson that loves to be held. To teach me to rest in His love. To give me the strength to give myself up to “be ruled and taught and led.”

Abiding is keeping. But it is not my keeping. It is God’s keeping, protecting, and holding my soul. My job is to not wriggle away from His grasp. To not resist His hold on my life.

Next step: Write a prayer thanking God for His strong and loving hold on your life. Ask Him to teach you to abide in that love and to not wriggle away from His grasp.

Check out my other posts on abiding in Christ: Connecting and Remaining.

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November 7, 2017

3 Ways Abiding in Christ Can Change Your Life: Connecting

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Abiding in Christ.

Every year I choose one word to focus on. One word to guide the next twelve months.

At the beginning of 2017, I chose “abide.” I hoped that studying and meditating on that word would help me understand it better. I kept asking, “What does that word mean, exactly?” “How do I abide?” “How does abiding help my relationship with Jesus?” “How can it affect my daily life?”

Although I am still learning, still growing, I am going to share what I have learned so far. I am going to tell three ways abiding in Christ changed my life. This post will concentrate on connecting.

When I began the study of abiding, one of the things I did was to memorize verses with the word “abide.” The first verse I memorized was John 15:5:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

As I meditated on this verse, I realized that I often focus on bearing fruit–working for God’s kingdom, making a difference in the world. But if I’m trying hard to produce fruit on my own, it won’t work. Jesus tells me, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” I’m trying to squeeze out some awesome grapes (aka “amazing accomplishments”), but I end up exhausted and frustrated.

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Then I recognized the fact that bearing fruit is not really my job. My role is to simply abide in Christ. And if I abide, fruit comes naturally.

Think about it. What if the branch said to the vine, “I’m working really hard right now to produce some fantastic grapes. All I need to do is read some more books on horticulture and get up before the sun and work till dark. It will be exhausting, but worth it. Vine, I don’t really need you, I just need to put in a little more effort.”

But the vine says, “It’s useless to try to produce fruit without Me. If you are not connected to me, you will not receive the water and nutrients that are necessary for growth and fruit. All you really need to do is stay connected to me. I will give you everything you need to produce amazing fruit if you just abide in me.”

So what does it mean to abide in Christ? We will explore that a little deeper in the upcoming posts, but to put it simply–to abide in Christ is to connect to Jesus. To keep my eyes on Him, trust Him for everything, and to rely on Him instead of my own abilities. It is to obey God’s commands because they are the instruction book for a fruitful and meaningful life. It is to sink my roots deep into His unconditional love and trust that what the Father wills is best.

This focus on abiding changed my life because it changed my attention from:

“How can I produce more?” or “How can I accomplish more?”

to:

“How can I connect to Jesus today?” and “How can I draw on His strength right now?

I shift my focus from what I can produce to what Jesus can accomplish. I turn my attention from doing to resting in His love.

So if you are exhausted by trying to squeeze out fruit–produce something impressive, accomplish something big–remember that’s not your job. Your role is to abide in the vine–Jesus–and then the fruit will come naturally.

Next step: Ask God to show you if you have been focusing more on producing or more on abiding. Write a prayer asking Him to help you learn to abide.

Check out my other posts on abiding in Christ: Keeping and Remaining.

Filed Under: Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Growth Tagged With: ,
October 18, 2016

Feeling Overwhelmed? Build in Whitespace

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The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. I attended a writers’ retreat in Door County, WI where I walked in the woods, typed on my computer, and laughed and talked with writer friends. Then I visited my mother for a few days, came home, did some laundry and repacked my suitcase. I left the next morning for Indianapolis where I attended a conference and a board meeting.

Those nine days were jam-packed. Filled with learning and working. Crammed with laughter and conversation. But there was very little whitespace.

What is whitespace?

In her book, Finding Spiritual Whitespace, author Bonnie Gray defines whitespace like this:

In art, whitespace is often referred to as “negative space.” It’s the space on the page absent of marks or images. We might consider the space as “blank,” but to the artist, whitespace holds beauty. It is the key element of design that gives balance to a composition, transforming a cluttered collection of objects into an aesthetic expression of what we do see.

She goes on to say:

My soul isn’t designed to be cluttered. It longs for space to taste beauty. To breathe. It’s always wanted what God intended for me.

My soul was designed for spiritual rest: spiritual whitespace.

We all need whitespace in our lives. Space for the soul to breathe. Time to connect with God and enjoy the gifts He’s given.

You might wonder, but how can I find this whitespace? My life is exactly as you described. It’s jam-packed with work, volunteer responsibilities, and family obligations. There simply is no whitespace!

I understand. And my words are not meant to drive you to book a guilt trip on the next train out.

Whitespace is a place of grace, not duty.

Start by remembering that Jesus longs to spend time with you. He desires to give you the peace and strength you need in your overwhelmed life. Come to Him to receive His grace, and not to check off one more thing on your overfilled to-do list.

Here are a few practical ideas to find whitespace, even in a busy season:

  • Get up fifteen minutes early to read Scripture and a devotion. Pray over your schedule for the day and ask Christ to be with you in every moment.
  • Or go to bed fifteen minutes early. Before going to sleep, review your day and thank God for His help and presence. Read a psalm and rest in God’s love and protection.
  • Set a timer to go off every hour. When you hear the buzz or the beep, pause for a few moments. Listen to a Christian song. Meditate on a Scripture that reminds you of Christ’s unfailing love.
  • Schedule some downtime. Because I knew my schedule was going to be overwhelmed for those nine days, I purposely created some whitespace before and after the hectic time. I set aside an afternoon on both ends to rest and read.

Jesus invited His disciples to experience whitespace when He said:

Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest awhile.” (Mark 6:31)

He invites you to do the same.

Create whitespace for your soul to connect with Jesus. Even if it is only for a few minutes in a busy day, come away and rest awhile.

Next step: Choose one of the four ideas above to create a little whitespace in your life this week. Which one works best for you?

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
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