Step Away from the Crowd
There are or will be times in your life where everything seems overwhelming or even cluttered. We all face these types of moments. Sometimes, they come unexpectedly or because of poor choices they creep up. Of course God isn't condemning us. But we need to take moments to step away and reflect. We need to stop trying to use fleshly tactics to get our lives in order. Sometimes, we can be so caught up in self or even caught up in responsibilities we forget what resting in Christ feels like. We forget what depending fully on Christ feels like. Sometimes, we even think if we step away to get ourselves together that we will miss out on something. Honestly, what are we missing out on in this season when everything we need is found in Christ? In my own life I battled trying to handle loads of responsibilities while trying to squeeze in rest time with my Heavenly Father. Honestly, most of the time it didn't work out very well until I threw all of my assignments at God's feet. I gave up my desires and issues to God. That’s when I realized that finding true balance in God is what matters more than anything else. I didn't understand what I was doing wrong until I stepped away with Christ and examined my life. The reality was I needed the wisdom of God - not my own intellect.
You might be in a place in your life right now where you feel so overwhelmed you might bust. It might feel like you tried to tell people how you feel and they still don't understand. I want you to know that there is no need to be embarrassed or ashamed. God is here to help you find full rest and guidance in him. He wants you to find that rest in Him alone and He will teach you how to navigate as you refresh in his love.
As I went through a recent season of resting in God, I found 4 main key points that helped me navigate effectively with the wisdom of God. He taught me how to adjust my timing and even my priorities. God also taught me how to keep my mind on his word as I took time to seek him. I pray as you continue to read this article it would help you or teach you how to step away from whatever is pulling you or weighing you down. My prayer is that each point will help you see what you need to work on and what is your ultimate priority in life which is Jesus Christ.
So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. - Luke 5:16
Remember, even Jesus Christ went away from the crowd and people to spend time with the Lord almighty. Sometimes, we think that we don’t even have time to step away. But if Jesus Christ the savior of our souls can step away to get close to the Father, of course we can. We shouldn’t have any excuses. Jesus Christ knew He couldn’t accomplish the miracles that He did without help from God. He knew what would happen when He stepped away to go sit in front of His dad. Jesus knew He would be able to be refreshed. He would then be able to get peace from His daily activities. We have to constantly ask ourselves each day what can I do to find wisdom from God and true rest? I pray each point below would help you navigate and help you do just this.
Ask God to give you the wisdom you need in this season of your life. - James 1:5
God wants to give you wisdom as you figure out how to balance your daily activities and work related responsibilities. You don’t want to wait until you can’t handle everything that is in front of you to go to God with the questions you have. He still cares and will answer, but he wants you to come to him first. God wants to give you all sorts of wisdom for your daily life. Even wisdom that will help you learn more about Him. Sometimes, we are scared to ask God questions because of the situations we face or because of shame. God isn’t like humans. He wants you to come to Him and know that you have a right to come to Him. Don’t neglect his powerful wisdom.
Stop worrying about how much time you spend with God and just spend time with God. - Matthew 6:25
Don’t worry about trying to be perfect. God wants you to set aside time from everything you are dealing with because He wants to show you His character. Sometimes, we want to be so precise and want everything in our lives to line up in beautiful perfection. We have to remember that’s not realistic. God wants us to understand that everything won’t be the way we want it to be. We have to know that we will have situations arise out of the blue and have to figure out what to do. There has to be a daily step of faith and putting to side the things in our lives that can be done later or at the end of the week. We have to deeply ask God to search our hearts to see if we have put anything before Him. Focus on just taking steps to sit with God and know it’s not about how long you sit with Him but being PRESENT. He cherishes every moment with you!
When you spend time with God deeply enjoy His presence because it’s priceless. - Jeremiah 29:13
God’s presence is greater than anything else in this world. I know you have to make serious decisions sometimes in life that may even include family and friends. God will give you everything you need when you sit in His presence. No time is wasted when you sit with Him. Don’t move away from God when you sit with Him. Continue to remain humble in His presence and He will fill you with the rest you need in your heart. When you sit with God and step away from the stress in your life you will learn how to hear Him better. He wants you to grow in intimacy with Him in His word and His love. Pray in this season to have a fresh hunger for God and His teachings. As you keep setting time, even if it’s just a few minutes, to sit with God you will notice your level of expectancy rise in this season.
As I reflect on my own life, I had a season recently where I wanted to go deeper in God. But I thought if I do loads of stuff for God, it would bring me closer to Him. I know God loves all we do for Him and His kingdom. But when it comes to a point where we put it all before Him than we don’t really walk in full commitment to him. God kept reminding me, as I kept working on my ministry or trying to help people, that I have to have a healthy balance. Doing stuff for God is great, but with wrong motives it can create burn out or it can create pride.