Where is Your Quiet Place?

Matthew 6:6

“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God.  Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage.  The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” (MSG)

In a world where keeping up appearances is such a common compulsion, it can be difficult to pull oneself out of that bad habit, even when talking to God.  It is imperative that I am transparent when I go to God.  No pretentions, no sugar-coating, no grazing the surface of deeper things. 

To open myself up in such a way is to be incredibly vulnerable – a nearly impossible task if I am not alone.  There are plenty of times I have gone to God with deep, deep wounds and sobbed to him over my greatest troubles in a way I never could have even with my closest friend. 

In the quiet, secluded place, I can be vulnerable and completely open myself up to communion with God.  My prayer need not be complex.  A simple, short prayer will suffice just as much as pouring out my heart and soul.  However the spirit moves me, in my solitude I may move with it. 

I am still working on maintaining my focus on God once it shifts while I sit in quiet meditation.  My attention span and ability to concentrate are not the strongest things.  But God knows I am trying, and my effort speaks more to him than being able to sit still in one spot and keep my mind from drifting to some random thing that happened during the day after two minutes of focusing on him. 

As I continue to practice meditating and spending time in that quiet, secluded place, my ability to maintain focus will get better, God and I can grow closer, and I will feel his grace.  I find it helpful at times to simply repeat to myself, “God is with me,” or “Be still and know that I am God.”  Even a one-word repetitive prayer such as, “Peace,” or “Love,” can be sufficient to keep my mind where I want it: On God.

As I go through this day I pray that I can find moments to slip into that quiet place, to offer up prayers of gratitude and prayers for strength, keeping as best I can my focus on God and not on the world around me.  And may I ever sense his grace!

Amen!  :D