Something big is changing inside me.
It’s as quiet as it feels beautiful and odd.
Because I’ve always been a planner. I like to plot my steps by where I want to go — and then I figure out how to get there.
And that is how my todays have been planned. To get to a destination.
But, God is longing to be more than a destination.
He’s offering me His hand instead of a map.
God is inviting me to a new way of living — and I believe this invitation is for you too.
God is calling us: dare to be my beloved. Today.
Today
Once a week on my blog, I’m taking time on Wednesdays to slow down and enjoy virtual One Word Coffee: to stop and practice the art of listening with a community of friends: what is God whispering to me today?
It takes practice to change how we’ve been trained to be: planning for tomorrow and getting things done. We have to be intentional to stop and listen to God’s voice.
Love is intentional. Love is quiet. This quieter Voice is calling us to stop — stop worrying and planning for tomorrow as a way of distraction and procrastination — and listen to what He has to say to us today.
This Voice is kinder. More loving than all the voices that push us, rush us, and criticize us. This Voice wants to provide just what we need this very moment. And calls us to trust Him beyond what we can’t see ahead.
This is hard. Because we are use to providing for ourselves. It’s how we’ve been conditioned to do in this world. Being busy instead of beloved.
But, even among our doubts, a Gentle Voice continues whispering —
You were made for more.
Dare to be my beloved. Today.
A Window to the Soul
This Voice is Jesus. Jesus calls us to choose the quiet — where we can stop long enough to hear His whispers of love for you. And me.
Like a window that opens to the soul, quiet is our invitation to God. To welcome Him into our today.
In moments of quiet, we realize how much —
we need to rest and feel God’s touch. today.
we miss the voice of a good friend we’ve wanted to call for a while. today.
we may need to let go of something big . . . so we say yes to something small but good for our soul. today.
We may we need to forgive ourselves and begin anew again. today.
Listen
In moments of quiet, Jesus whispers —
You don’t have to be strong. You can be loved.
You don’t have to know the way ahead. I do.
Hold onto Me. I’m holding onto you.
Tomorrow will come and I will be there with you.
I will quiet you by my love.
Like manna falling from My heart into your hands,
My words will always find its way in you.
Today.
Choose Instead
So choose the quiet.
When you come to a fork in the road in the day — between choosing the quiet or filling it up, by performing, pleasing, or disappearing — stop.
Choose what’s harder, but more soul filling.
Enjoy something no one would be able to point at it and say, “Look. She did something.”
Choose instead to be loved.
Let God love you. Choose the quiet.
Stop and Pause
Lent begins tomorrow. I’m inviting friends to listen for God’s whispers on Wednesdays, as we journey to Easter — and enjoy One Word Coffee together. Would you like to join us?
In the quiet, we’ll share the words God places on our hearts. Week by week. It’s a practice we can do together. Because we were never meant to journey alone.
Stop and pause right now. Dare to let God’s One Word fall on your heart, quiet like sweet rain.
Be the Beloved. Listen as He whispers — I love you.
“The Lord your God is in your midst. He will take great delight in you; He will quiet you by his love.” {Zephaniah 3:17}
What words of love is God whispering to you today?
How can you choose the quiet today?
As quiet as the sun rising in the dawn, its soft light slowly casting its warmth into the room, let the whispers in today’s Scripture make its way in you now.
by Bonnie Gray, the Faith Barista, author of Finding Spiritual Whitespace, serving up encouragement for your soul and your journey.
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Bonnie,
Your calming words…as you speak of God’s great love for me….make my breathing slow down and my heart just be content at rest. I choose, today, even with my big “to do” list to just “be” in His presence. When I am calm He whispers His loving words of truth. When I am hurried, the enemy screams his condemning, condescending words, but when I sit in God’s presence and listen for His voice which is truth, affirmation, reassurance, I allow myself to be good enough just because I’m His. Beautiful post to start my day!
Blessings,
Bev
Thank you Bonne! This is my life verse. A great reminder in the busyness of life. It snowed last night, just a light blanket of white on the grass. Beautiful. Quiet looks outside and remembers what God creates.
i can imagine the snow sparkling as i read your words, Pam. God’s love sparkling for you.
Your words are soothing Bonnie, thank-you for them. And thank-you for reminding us it’s okay to pause and absorb Him.
Blessings to you,
Penny
thank you, Penny, for taking the time to pause and share… blessings..
Thank-you Bonnie,
I’m grateful to you for being here.
Penny
I too am a planner–I like all my ducks in organized rows. But, life isn’t militarized ducks following your orders. And, I’m starting to see the freedom that comes through releasing myself to the Holy Spirit’s movements. He’s trustworthy–albeit unsettling at times–and I shouldn’t be afraid of relinquishing my full self to Him. “I believe, Lord, help my unbelief.” Thank you for these words, Bonnie; I know that God is wooing me closer, closer to JUST Him and not what I can receive from Him.
Hi Kristin! Your post so resonated with me as I was listening for my “One word” this morning g as I had my coffee. The Lord spoke 3 things to me, each of which you touched on! He asked if I believe Him…not if I believe IN Him, just if I believe Him. That leads to trust. If I believe Him, I can trust Him! And if I truly trust Him, I am free!!! “Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.” (2Cor.3:17) So my word for today is: freedom! Freedom from the sin that so easily entangles, freedom from other’s expectations, freedom from my own expectations!! I broke free from a set schedule today to spend some time doing something just for me that I’ve set aside for a long while due to lots of other priorities. Now, because I too got a small dusting of snow last night as someone said in an earlier post, must finally go clear the sidewalk and driveway. But ya know what? It will all get done on the Lord’s timeline!
Daneen, that’s so cool. Don’t His divine echoes encourage you?
Thank you Bonnie, just what I needed to hear today. I need this so very much. I am going through such fiery trials….longest & hardest season of my life (I am 69 & known the Lord for over 55 years) and finding it so difficult to hear that quiet, still small voice of the One I love, the sweetest voice I know. A.B. Simpson wrote about this: “…..that God was waiting in the depths of my being to talk to me if I would only get still enough to hear His voice. I thought this would be a very easy matter, and so began to get still. But I had no sooner commenced than a perfect pandemonium of voices reached my ears, a thousand clamoring notes from without and within, until I could hear nothing but their noise and din. Some were my own voices, my own questions, some my very prayers. Others were suggestions of the tempter and the voices from the world’s turmoil. In every direction I was pulled and pushed and greeted with noisy acclamations and unspeakable unrest. It seemed necessary for me to listen to some of them and to answer some of them; but God said, ‘Be still, and know that I am God.’ Then came the conflict of thoughts for tomorrow, and its duties and cares; but God said, ‘Be still’. And as I listened, and slowly learned to obey, and shut my ears to every sound, I found after a while that when the other voices ceased, or I ceased to hear them, there was a still small voice in the depths of my being that began to speak with an inexpressible tenderness, power and comfort. As I listened, it became to me the voice of prayer, the voice of wisdom, the voice of duty, and I did not need to think so hard, or pray so hard, or trust so hard; but that “still small voice” of the Holy Spirit in my heart was God’s prayer in my secret soul, was God’s answer to all my questions, was God’s life and strength for soul and body, and became the substance of all knowledge, and all prayer and all blessing: for it was the living GOD Himself as my life, my all.”
Today I am going to intentionally seek to find that “place” of stillness and quiet to hear the precious Voice of my sweet Lord to my heart. I pray that each one of you find Him today in that quiet place of the soul. I would be so very grateful to any who might pray for me also.
Thank you again Bonnie and the Lord bless you!
Donna,
Thank-you for sharing A.B Simpson’s words. He describes so well how disruption interferes with hearing the Voice we need to hear. If you don’t take time out to listen, you won’t hear. My prayers are with you in finding the calmness that you seek.
Have a blessed day,
Penny
Thank you Penny, God bless you!
Thank-you Donna,
May God bless you too.
Penny
hi donna! love A.B. Simpson’s words. i grew up in the Missionary & Alliance church, so that name brought fond memories to my heart!
Hi Donna,
This was a great post, thank you! I always thought about this verse and its meaning. For a long time I always thought it meant, Wait, Know that he is God and will take care of your issues. But then I read this description and it sounds to mean literally be quiet and hear him. Does anyone think it could mean both? Be Still and know that I am God sounds like he is saying just wait I am God and see how I handle your problems.
Hi Guest,
I believe that…..He knows well before us. So for us to receive His guidance we need to be still.
I hope that helps….
Zephaniah 3:17-18 is a passage of reconciliation between God and His beloved, Jerusalem. To be reconciled is to be restored.
To rest securely.
When my heart is racing with never ending to-do’s, and never more time to do them – I will choose to close tight my eyes, breathe deep, and allow His grace-enough to (rest)ore my anxious, wandering heart.
He’s a good, good Father…and we’re loved by Him.
#restore #onewordcoffee
@webbgurl2000: thanks so much!! so glad to have coffee for our souls here and on the blog together… 😉
God is speaking to me about being unfinished lately. I’m striving to be so many things – for the better. Yet he’s reminding me I’m unfinished, and he’s the one working to finish his good work in me. In fact I just shared about it on my blog today.
This morning, I journaled about 1 Samuel 16:7: “The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I think God whispered to me this verse not only applies to our attitude about body image, facial features, or clothes. It also applies to the outward appearance of power and influence in this world. We tend to admire those people with a wide circle of influence who are doing “important” things. But all of us are serving the Lord God of the universe (Col. 3:23-24). And who knows what the ripple effect might be of the small deeds we perform in Jesus’ name?
Ah, this: “Enjoy something no one would be able to point at it and say, “Look. She did something.” So good. Especially for a doer and a pleaser like me. Reminds me of Acts 4:13:
‘Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.’
Yes! They had not accomplished a lot, or earned many degrees, or been recognized with many awards and opportunities. They were noted – simply because people could tell that they had ‘been with Jesus’. Let it be the same for us. While there is nothing wrong with accomplishing things…maybe we should concentrate a bit more on resting in His presence, and seeking His face, and having people pick up on the effects of it. A good lesson for me today.
Thanks for sharing, Kate 🙂
Bonnie, such a beautiful post. The call to quiet . . . yes, I’ve been hearing it. Especially as I have more forced stillness with a torn ACL. I’m trying to be still to hear His quiet love, His calming words in my heart.
He reminds me I am chosen by Him. Zephaniah 3:17 is a favorite verse of mine, too. I’m so glad you shared. How amazing that He quiets us with His love, with His words of truth, when we are still enough to listen.
Jeanne ,
Ouch! Knee injuries are no fun alt all.
Praying for quiet for you as you heal.
take Care,
Penny
Thanks, Penny! Prayers are much appreciated. 🙂
What a beautiful post, I know now that He is our peace. I like praise music but when I went to a faith convention in the 90’s, I had a bad time. First, I went at the wrong time, next a lady almost pushed me through a plate glass window to get in, my cousin told me I’d have to run to get a good seat, I ‘m no runner, but I did it. Suddenly, an older lady was beside me, and she said ” Why, are you running? “. Today, I believe she was an angel, that was so chaotic and confusing, not the faith or the Word, but the situation. We need to slow down, be still, He calms the storm, and stills the waters. We should not live in a whirlwind. Why are we running?
Thank you Bonnie! He whispers I AM FAITHFUL.
when I went to see Beth Moore the other weekend, she talked about being ‘in the middle’ and said that in some translations in the bible that can read as ‘in the midst’ so I can more easily now claim that verse – that God is WITH ME IN THE MIDDLE! the middle of transition, the middle of healing, the middle of my day….so good to hold on to.
Thanks Bonnie, such great wisdom in your words what is better than being loved and with it calm and quieting of the soul comes. I am going to meditate on your words for the next few days…how important that connection is with our saviour…..I so much want to hear the whispers of love from my creator to feel happy and safe in him.
Absolutely.
Bonnie,
I loved this : “Like a window that opens to the soul, quiet is our invitation to God. To welcome Him into our today.” That resonates with me so much. This year has been filled with numerous activities and decisions regarding my aging father. So much so that I crave quiet. I yearn for peace and contentment that can only come from God!
Great wisdom!!
Blessings 🙂