Where am I Going?
I imagine this beautiful photo my friend Danyelle took while driving on a country road near her home in central Arkansas could be titled, “Where am I Going?”
I don’t have a great sense of direction! (That’s putting it mildly!)
Not only have I not been gifted with an innate sense of direction, but I am also prone to a lack of focus because my brain is full of lots of thoughts and tends to wander instead of paying attention to where I am or focusing on a specific task at hand.
I can’t do much about my giftedness, but I do work at corralling those wandering thoughts. Oftentimes, that means I must stop or if I’m driving, perhaps pull off to the side of the road, to reorient, and ask myself. “Okay, just where are you going?” I must clear my mind of distractions, gather my wits, and check helpful resources.
Sometimes, I need to assess where God desires me to go. Andrew Arndt, a Christian pastor and spiritual seeker, offers some great suggestions for doing that in his book, Streams in the Wasteland - Finding Spiritual Renewal with the Desert Fathers and Mothers. In chapter 3 – Essential Habits for the With-God Life, Arndt provides this basic and practical template for daily spiritual retreat and renewal.
Find a consistent time and place to withdraw.
Make sure the place is comfortable and quiet.
Take a few moments to be still – deep breathe.
Make the Scripture the centerpiece of your time alone.
When you’ve concluded reading Scripture, present your requests to God.
This template pretty much aligns with my spiritual rhythm, and in future blog posts—perhaps in January—I think I may try to put a little meat onto them.
But here’s what I would like from you—many who are longtime readers of Listening on the Journey …. Would you consider sharing ways in which you practice “daily spiritual retreat and renewal?” (either as by using the contact form on this site or by email.) We can learn so much from one another.
Blessings on your journey,
