one of the most amazing moments i’ve experienced as a Christian
has been seeking solitude with only one goal in mind:
to hear from God.
this summer, Fancy Little Things is fully embracing the beauty of adventure and what better getaway than one where your only objective is to pray in power and hear from your Heavenly Father? This mini-vacation can be taken virtually anywhere, at anytime, and will leave you feeling full as well as restoring your strength, hope and feelings of gratitude.
Grab a blanket, your bible and a journal, and head somewhere quiet. Your itinerary follows:
Seek Solitude
I personally prefer to engage in deep listening sessions somewhere in nature. These days we are always tethered to some kind of tech device, or at least surrounded by them. If we could just detach for a quick moment, however, we may find that we can hear from the Lord a bit better!
Mark 1:35 explains that Jesus would take himself away from the people to a place of solitude so that He could pray. It was often early in the morning and no doubt a way for Him to devote Himself fully to hearing back from God.
Invite Him In
Psalm 139:23-24 is a highly powerful plea for the Lord to not only be present but to use His power to seek the sinful heart that dwells within us and lead us down the correct paths instead; the way everlasting. Most times when I pray, (and I may be able to speak for several others reading this post), I will ask and thank and praise but will never request for the Lord to seek further and convict me of more that needs to be laid at His feet. Conviction is good when it’s from our Father because He uses it to grow us, not condemn us.
Ask
Jeremiah 33:3 blesses me each time I read it. It is such a simple reminder of the intimacy we are gifted with when we become a child of God. “Call to me and I will answer you.” Don’t you just need that reminder sometimes? That you can reach out to Him and know that He will be waiting and will respond? Not only that, but He will “tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” We have a foresight when we have Jesus. We have a knowledge that surpasses that of the world. When we ask Him to come in and speak with us, we can be sure that we are going to experience a Holy, Holy thing.
Receive
Psalm 24:5-6 is a passage I go to when I forget that I am one of the chosen. “They will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God their Savior. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, God of Jacob.”
That generation is us, girls. We are the ones who seek Him, and we are the ones who will receive a blessing from the Lord. The trick is trying to avoid taking only what we want and leaving the rest in God’s mighty hand. He will extend to us each blessing we are supposed to have, and sometimes those blessings include a bit of pain and struggle. We must receive it all, however, and understand the greatness of our God. Receiving means taking it all in, with faithful obedience.
Give Thanks
1 Chronicles 16:34 says to “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever.” I love this verse so much because, in such a short passage it reminds me of the goodness and greatness of my God. I do not have to worry about anything I face because I know He is good, and leads me through the things I need to go through in order to know that goodness. Even when I stumble and struggle, I have strength in knowing His love endures forever.
When I pray with a “Kingdom mindset” and not a “Kristin mindset” I find that I can only give thanks for all I have been blessed with. Thanking Him for the good and the bad shows faith in Him, shows obedience and puts us in an active relationship with the Lord. That is huge, ladies.
Journal
Psalm 103:2 is written in the front of every journal I own. “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—” Journaling means we are actively remembering the Lord’s messages for us. We seek HIm, hear Him, then receive a word from Him. Keeping it safe and in a place where we can revisit means we can see where He has been all of our days and what events He revealed Himself through. It feels like a an adventure at times because you can see a familiar word or hear a song with familiar lyrics, search your journal for the day you first received it, then put the pieces together and witness a small miracle.
It is a powerful thing when you can capture a message sent directly from the Throne!
So are you ready to head out for a bit
and see what God has to say to you?
Write these verses down and use them as a guide to get you moving on your first Getaway. Edit and add anything that helps you communicate more deeply… and share your tips with us! Communicating with God was never meant to be a mystery, reserved for an elite group of believers. It was meant to be as normal as breathing, and just as vital to our existence.
© 2013 – 2014, Kristin Cho. All rights reserved. Love it? Please share, pin, tweet or email but do not use my work without permission.
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