Silent Time

Good results come to those who continue the good routines. For example new year resolutions are easily made and pursued for a few days, but good results come to those who continue throughout the year, for example to excercise in order to keep the body fit and healthy. Which are the things that God wants you to do? What are the negative things that you should stop doing? And what are the positive things that you should continue doing in your life?

What would you like to do at all times?

Have you ever wondered who will truly guide you through life’s uncertainties, not just for a season but forever? In a world full of shifting advice and changing circumstances, the Bible points to a guide who is unchanging and trustworthy for all generations.

Over the last couple of days, weeks and months, what have been your biggest worries? And how have you tried to solve them? Whether alone or with others, have you involved the almighty God, the creator of the universe? Psalm 147: Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. He renews our hopes and heals our bodies. ... He always listens to our prayers and knows what is best for us. He may not intervene immediately, we may have to wait and continue to struggle for a while, and the solution may not come in the way we wish for, but the heavenly Father always listens to each prayer and he has a good long term plan for each and everyone individually. In his love he wants to prepare and guide us towards his eternal kingdom of holiness and love, where there are no more worries at all. And even if it seems impossible that we will ever be suitable to fit into there, for God nothing is impossible, he can prepare us throughout all this life's circumstances, Jesus said in Mark 10 [27]: For God all things are possible. 

Who is your best friend? Do you have someone to consult in the various questions that come up during walking through life? It is very valuable to have a trustworthy companion. Give thanks to the Lord, if you have reliable persons as friends or in the family, who have good intentions, and with whom you can discuss personal matters. And it also means, we are called to be ourselves good friends towards them: not to gossip, rather to be trustworthy, to listen and to give good advice. The psalmist says that he is a companion to all who fear God.

What do you value higher and give priority to in life - to always get your own maximum benefit or to be at peace?

How do some people, even in the midst of struggles, live with a sense of purpose and hope? Considering all the bad news in the world, the injustice and trouble, many other people fall in despair or get aggressive, others drift into addictions or get on other bad ways. But how do some manage to keep a sense of purpose and hope? It is more than positive thinking. The Bible reveals that as a believer, your calling is not only to have a fulfilling task here to serve, but also to inherit an unshakable hope and joy, despite the challenges you may face.

Does God only care for certain matters and selected people? 

Let's pray with words from Psalm 36: Your loving devotion, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, Your faithfulness to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains; Your judgments are like the deepest sea. You care for people and animals alike, O LORD. 7 How precious is Your loving devotion, O God, that we may take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.

People have different interests depending on life's circumstances and also depending on the age and other factors. One is mainly interested in playing games, another loves to spend time gardening, another one pursues his business, another is active in the stock market, others go hiking or join festivals, events and parties. To where do you turn your heart? 

What do you do, when you have eaten?