[Widget_Twitter id=”1″]
Has someone ever said to you, “Don’t just stand there do something.”?
Or maybe you have said it to someone? Your kids maybe?
I can without a doubt answer YES to all those questions.
I heard it as a kid, and I know I have said it to my husband and kids as well. I have also heard it in ministry and service settings.
Those very words reverberate in my soul. The way they were spoken to me, and maybe to you as well, indicate that it is wrong to be idle. To gain approval or not call into question our actions, we must always be doing something.
I don’t know about you, but I always feel like I must be doing something. I often feel guilty if I take time to sit, and I am not working on the computer, or reading my Bible or a spiritual based book. I tend to push myself and work all times of the day and night.
Tweet This
If I do take time for myself to meet a friend, go to the movie, or read a book that is just for fun, then I feel as if I must make up the time I “wasted” in doing something for me.
Confession: It is hard for me to sit and just be. It is hard for me to not just get out my list and start checking off the items 1, 2, 3… and let’s move on. It’s as if I became a product of an environment that says there is an urgency to get things accomplished and always keep moving.
Oh please, oh please …. tell me you can relate?
I know in my head, but sometimes forget in my heart that my worth and value is not in the things I do, but just in who I am.
This year, I feel as if God has asked me to focus on the word “Dwell”. In doing so, I know that God is asking me to take a deep breath and just breathe.
He is asking me to spend time with Him and Him alone. He is asking me to set aside tasks and list. He is making sure my heart is in the right place. He is making sure I know He is the most important thing, and as I make Him the most important thing, all the rest will follow.
I know in the secret place where I spend time with Him, that He will give me revelation and refreshing. I also know that He wants to be my first love and yours too.
Sometimes however, our priorities can slip and we let ministry and people become our first loves in His place.
During my devotional time this last week, I was reading Bob Sorge’s book the “Secrets of the Secret Place.” He said,
“In the secret place we simply stand. NO great agenda, no mighty ambitions, no rush to move on to the next thing. We just stand before Him and love Him.”
In fact, there is no higher calling and no greater purpose than to stand in His presence worshiping Him. That means, my plans, my agenda, my tasks, and to do lists all need to be set aside as I just stand.
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God (Psalms 95:6-7a NIV).
In the song, “THE STAND” by Hillsong, the chorus speaks to this very thing:
I’ll stand with arms high and heart abandoned
in awe of The One who gave it all
I’ll stand my soul, Lord, to You surrendered
all I am is Yours
Psalm 27:4 has been the cry of my heart since God gave me the word “DWELL” at the beginning of the year. May it be the cry of all our hearts not just today, or this year, but every day of our lives.
May the cry of all our hearts be …. All I am is Yours Lord, All I am is Yours!
Again Welcome and Thank you for joining me for #TuneInThursday it is an honor to have you here!
I have had a few people ask for a badge/button to display on your blogs. I would absolutely be honored if you would display it, or link back here in some way. Thank you!
Now let’s get this party started, feel free to link 1-3 posts:
[Widget_Twitter id=”1″]
Do you wonder if God still speaks today? Do you wonder if He would ever speak to you personally? Do you long to hear the voice of God in your life?
Have your read other books on hearing from God, but long for hands on practical application? or are you looking for ways to move you forward hearing from God?
If you answered YES to any of those questions, then I have exactly what you need. I now have an online e-course designed to equip you in understanding that God still speaks today, and He longs to speak directly to you, through His word, and others. He longs to encourage you, strengthen you and comfort you. The training on this site, is fully based on Scripture, and taken from my training manual Releasing God’s heart through Hearing His Voice.
I have been teaching these classes internationally for the last 10+ years equipping and training believers in discerning the Ways God speaks. God is speaking, Can you Hear Him?
2. My new membership site, d2htrainging.com has official opened, I invite you to check it out today, and develop a deeper relationship with the Lord, as you learn to hear Him speak to your heart.
Looking for other Great Inspirational Parties. Click Here to see where I Link-Up weekly.
Several Submissions have been featured at Blessed Transgressions, an Online Magazine:
Balancing the Warrior & the Princess We’re Called to Be
Trusting God When it Seems Illogical
Will You Sit with Me? (Jesus is Calling.)
My Post “Climb Every Mountain” was featured in the August monthly link-up at : Life on Intention Link-up Party
My Post: The Power of your Story was featured here:
My Post “What’s in a Name?” was featured here:
My Post: “Will You Sit with Me?” was featured here:
My Post: “The Journey through Change” was featured here:
Again, I have been know to link to the following Inspirational Parties:
Today I pray for times of rest for you without guilt. Rest that refreshes you body, soul, and spirit. Then you will rise up strong again to accomplish only that which God calls you to and be able to let the rest go. Preaching to you and me both today 😉
Thanks for the party!
Thank you my friend! I receive all that you just spoke over and to me! Amen and you are so welcome for the party.
It’s so true that people and ministry can become our first love. He draws us back to Him and I pray we come running. Praying you will rest in His arms today, Debbie. 🙂
Oh Kelly, I pray we all come running too! Thank you so much for your prayers, the past 3 weeks have been a push, but today and tomorrow admits the work, I am and will be resting in His arms for sure.
Debbie, this reminds me of what I linked up. In general, I need more downtime the way my body works but it is hard for me to “rest” lately. It is my prayer God will help me to have inner rest.
Meghan – We all need to come to a place where we understand that we must rest and not always be doing.
For me, I often need reminders of that very thing even though I know it in my head. I pray God gives you the inner rest your seek! And that you give yourself permission to not be like everyone else. Knowing how God designed you to need more than others is awesome – don’t let anyone make you feel guilty, especially you 🙂 Hugs and love!
I forgot to add that I am lifting you and all the other ladies up who need help with this too!
Awe – thank you so much Meghan – I so appreciate your prayers as I am sure all the others who read this post and need them will too! I love your heart
There is NO GREATER thing than to be in His presence! Here we find our direction, our strength, our peace, our ability to face whatever challenge we have. Like Jesus, we must make time to slip away to quiet places to find rest!
Oh AMEN Esther! You are so right – ALL those things come when we take time to get face to face with Him. Why is it that we don’t go running and stay there forever and ever. We must learn to be exactly like Jesus in this area!
I always get so encouraged when I come here. I hope your first week of May has been a great one!
Oh Lisa, thank you so much. That encourages me so. My hope and prayer is that others get encouraged too, that is the whole reason I write and share… sometimes, no strike that sometimes – it needs to say often I struggle with what I have to say, and with what I feel God has given me all the while praying that it will encourage and speak to just one person. You made my day! Oh, and the first week of May is going great – had my mom in town and had some down days after the retreat this past weekend, even painted my kitchen which I was wanting to do for months and months! Hope your week has been a great one too!
Today’s post is a word in due season as I wait for my final grades, the only barrier to graduating with my bachelors degree. Also, I have been sharing with a dear friend going through a difficult season. I will forward this post to her. Bless you!
Calvonia – Thank you so much for your reassurance that what I wrote for today’s post is word that speaks to you and THANK YOU for sharing this post. That is the best compliment ever, that you would share it with others who need to hear it. I pray for you as you are waiting for your final grades! WOW, what an accomplishment, a bachelors degree takes a lot of work and dedication to persist. Congratulations to you. May your heart be at peace in the waiting and may many doors of favor open to you as you begin this new season of your life.
Dwell is such a great word for the year. It’s not one I’ve heard used much and I can see how important it could be!
Thanks for hosting the link up, Debbie!
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
Thank you Jodie. Yes, dwell is not a word, I would have went with either because it isn’t used often, I might have chosen abide, rest, stillness… those words, we hear often, but not usually dwell. Hahaha – that’s how I knew it was God and not me. Thanks for linking up today!
Don’t know if you’ve studied the Enneagram at all, but I’m a 3 and 3’s have all kinds of issues around achievement and trying to measure our value by what we do and our “image.” I have to tell myself every day that my do list is not my god and there is not one thing I can do to make myself more or less loved by God. I wonder if you are a 3?
Actually Michele, no, I had never heard of Enneagram until last week’s post when someone mentioned it. LOL Maybe, I had look into it and take the test/study it to see what my number is. I am way better than I used to be at taking time and not always needing the constant reminder that it is not what I do that makes me valuable to God, it is just who I am that matters most to Him. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your own struggle with lists and getting things done. It feels good to know I am not the only one. I wonder if I am indeed a 3 ??? Blessings
I can definitely relate! I can’t even sleep in on the weekends thinking I should be doing something instead of wasting my time in bed, ha! So happy to see I’m not the only one. 🙂
Jas – Thank you for letting me know that you can relate and that I am not all alone in my feelings! It’s always comforting to know that I am not the only one with this issue. Although, I am way better than I used to be, hitting the wall a few times helped me to learn the lesson of rest, and reaffirm Jesus just wanted me to be.
Debbie, thank you for these words >> “There is no higher calling and no greater purpose than to stand in His presence worshiping Him.” Yes, there are truly times, He calls us to just “be”. Blessings!
Joanne – you are most welcome, I am so glad that those words spoke to you today, I so needed the reminder of them… more than I even knew.
I can relate BUT I am learning. It is a slow process and I should have it down pat when I turn 70!!!
Oh man – we are 2 peas in the pod … I am learning as well and have been slow in getting there. LOL
I can definitely relate and I am working on it, too. It seems it’s drummed into us from a young age about how we need to be doing something or we aren’t productive. But it’s so important to take time to just be, to sit in the presence of God, to rest and relax and not feel guilty. We all need time aside from busyness, and when we do take care of ourselves we can better care for others.
Thanks for this timely message, Debbie. Blessings to you!
Oh yes Gayl – it so is drummed into us isn’t it…. Just with in the last few years I have begun to realize I must take care of me so I can minister and I shouldn’t feel guilty about it at all… and I shouldn’t feel guilty for spending time in His presence. Blessings to you as well!
Yes, I can definitely relate, Debbie. I’m trying also to do better at just “being.” (Ironic, huh? ha). I now have on my calendar around 5:30, “All done!” I say the words out loud to myself and try to spend the rest of the evening enjoying cooking and spending time with friends and family.
Oh Lisa, that is a brilliant idea – actually scheduling it in – done time! You are so smart, I love it, and I am glad to know I am not alone and that you can relate, we are all works in progress right 🙂
Such a good reminder to me as my word for this year is ABIDE.
Thanks for hosting and really interesting words you wrote that I have to remember. I have figured out that getting out and doing things I want to are more important that following the crowd. I know that having that attitude knocks my value down but it something that I need to do.
Patrick – you are welcome, I am so glad to have you linkup your post each week and I think taking the time to mull over and process what I wrote is a good thing. Sometimes, its in those moments of contemplation that God will speak to us and show us things we didn’t know where there before. Blessings to you.
One of our last vacations was one of the best we’ve had – time to sit and “dwell” in the quietness of the hill country! So much better to me than a vacation of scheduled activities! Thanks for your inspiration and for hosting! Have a blessed week!
Roseann – that sounds like my kind of vacation. My husband and I have different ideas of vacation – His is to go, to, explore and stay busy – mine is to sit, read and do nothing. LOL We do try to strike a balance, but it is hard for me, I have the go, go, go mentality all the time and vacation is the only time I don’t. You have a great week too.
Wow, I’m scrolling forever in the comments section…what a party over here!
LOVE the post Deb…love it!
I’ll be back to link…wanted to stop by and read yours and a few others.
God bless.I needed this now!
Hi Chris – so glad you will be back – you may have already been – we have been without power for the last few days so I am just now getting to comments on the post, let alone comments for those who linkup. I am so glad what I wrote spoke to you today and it was just what you needed.
Debbie- we sound alike. I had a hard time sitting still too, and then God laid me up with some health problems that required me to step back and be in His presence.
I’m a work-in-progress, but I’m trying to spend more time enjoying life rather than rushing it!
Julie – We are all works in progress, I used to not know that or recognize it. I too am working on enjoying life and not rushing around to get things done all the time – but old habits are hard to break and need constant work, at least for me. I am glad to know I am not in this alone and that someone can relate and is like me – we can help one another. I pray the health issues are healed… Blessings
Have you been reading my mail?! I am really working on this, starting with just sitting and watching something with my husband … without folding clothes, writing out checks, or scanning something. I’m a work in progress! Thanks for sharing and hosting, Debbie!
hahaha Donna – nope, not been reading your mail, I promise… but I can so relate to what you just wrote. I have been known to do those very things as well. I am a work in progress too… so we are in it together and in great company. Blessings
Oh yes, I know this difficulty all too well! With my OneWord for this year being “stillness” it’s pretty obvious to me that God is wanting me to learn how important and precious is the time spent with Him. Loved this post, even tho I am a little late reading it this week! Thank you so much for confirming what the Lord is speaking! Blessings to you!
Oh Bettie – “stillness” and dwell are very much alike. Hey, it’s never to late to read or linkup – I am glad that you were able to join and stop by. Yes, I too have been learning the importance of spending time with Him and yes, our time spent with Him is precious indeed. I like the way you said it above. Blessings to you as well.
I’m your fellow “dwell” word sojourner this year. Here are a couple of posts I did on dwelling: https://plantedbylivingwater.wordpress.com/2016/12/28/push-buttons-power-sources-and-prayer/
and a quote from the second one, “I don’t have to dwell in the problems and in the fear and anxiety that they cause.
I am dwelling in Him who is the problem solver.” https://plantedbylivingwater.wordpress.com/2017/02/26/overcoming-fear-part-2/
I love that song, by the way.
And yes, He is the most important thing. I wish I could remember that 24/7. Thanks for the reminder to dwell. I seem to have drifted from remembering that somehow.
Ruth – thanks for the links – I am going to check them out tomorrow … Doesn’t that song bring back memories? You are most welcome for the reminder – I needed it too, and I can say I had drifted from it as well. Blessings