“The more any man loves Christ, the more he delights to be with Christ alone. Lovers love to be alone.”
Thomas Benton Brooks
One of the ways to receive rest from The Rest-giver is to choose to create space for Him. Creating space involves carving out time alone to be with God, to sit still in His Presence, and to feast at His table. This is where I am fully known, loved and accepted. Luke 5:16 shows how Jesus created space to be alone with God in the midst of His busy ministry. “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.” I am not always quick to do this so the Holy Spirit provides little nudges. Waking me up before the alarm goes off or allowing stressful situations for motivation are gentle ways God invites me to come away with Him.
We first and foremost create space to deepen our knowledge of God. If we’re always rushing around and have our plates too full, we will miss out on knowing who our Creator is, how He feels about us, and having an intimate relationship with Him. Besides spending time in prayer and meditating on His Word, choose to take time to listen to His voice. Be still long enough to reflect on who God has been in your life and what He has done. Acknowledge His attributes of faithfulness, goodness, and loving-kindness and as you remember, give God thanks.
We also create space to deepen our knowledge of ourselves. I’ve begun to see the value of this, not to become self-centered, but in order to become who God created me to be. God receives the most glory when we most resemble His original intent for our lives. We’re better able to steward ourselves and live intentionally in God’s will when we’re aware of our passions, giftings, strengths and weaknesses.
It’s easy for me to fall back on old performance mindsets, making it difficult to see through the fog and appreciate the benefits of reflection. Taking the time to plan, set goals, and reflect on what worked and didn’t work is time well spent. You’ve heard the adage, If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It seems as if I’m not achieving anything when I sit and ponder. Yet, we will accomplish more when we take the time to discern God’s call and assignments for our lives.
As you enter the holiday season, be intentional to create space for God and for yourself. Not only will you reap the spiritual and emotional benefits, but others will as well.
“Great eagles fly alone; great lions hunt alone; great souls walk alone-alone with God.”
Leonard Ravenhill
Relevant Reflection:
Create space with God and yourself. List what you’ve discovered.
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