I was going to ironically post this blog entry blank, but figured since I’m the only one doing this challenge and reading the Live Dead journaling book it wouldn’t have made much sense . Today’s challenge was about simplicity, and silence. It makes me uncomfortable just typing those two things.
In our face paced, materialistic, noisy culture, simplicity and silence are not common. Not only are those things uncommon, they put people off. Think about it. When you’re sitting with a group of people, can you just sit there in silence? Not likely. The typical picture of a group of people sitting around plays out with multiple people talking simultaneously over each other. We don’t even let people finish their thoughts before we jump in to share our own. I am the most guilty of this.
It’s not that I don’t care what other people have to say, or even that I think what I have to share is superior. Our culture has created people who need noise. Rather than let a thought finish, have short reflection moment of silence, then respond; we jump in before someone can finish a thought to avoid an uncomfortable pause. Add in 24 hour news cycles that spread fear about everything imaginable, and media advertising, silence is all but unattainable.
I can’t even sit in silence, I need to play music from one of my iProducts when I sit and contemplate quietly.
The same applies to materialistic things. I give to Speed the Light (an organization that provides vehicles for over sea missionaries), and we give when we feel compelled to random things as well. But I struggle between living paycheck to paycheck and taking care of my family, to giving up material needs and sacrificing more.
The book gave a great balance today. It’s not about being impoverished for the sake of humanity, and it’s also not about hoarding all the wealth I can accumulate. Matthew 6:25-33 explains that by seeking the kingdom of God first, those things will all be worked out. And that’s really how we’ve managed through tough times.
Our first year of marriage W-2 from 2005 was something like $18,000, and our rent took up over $10,000 of that. I don’t remember how we survived, but somehow we did. We just sought God’s kingdom and it all managed to work out. As I’ve prayed for these unreached people groups in Africa the last 3 days, I’m just stunned by the blessings I have just from living in the US.
I plugged in my income on the globalrichlist.com website, and I’m in the top 1% of the world. People are occupying Wall Street and complaining about unequal wealth distribution. But if you make $25,000 a year, you’re in the top 10% for the entire world. It’s hard to justify complaining about being in the bottom 99% of the United States, when the rest of the world would love to be in the bottom 1% of our country. It’s all about perspective.
Today I’ll be praying for the Sudanese Arabs. Totaling over 22 million individuals, about 99% are Muslims and have total control over the government in the Sudan. They desperately need church planters, and missionaries. So all totaled, when I see a Toyota I’m praying for the Rashaida, when I see prisons, chains, or other instruments of captivity I’m praying for the Tigre (sweetest name of any people group), and when I see or hear Arabic references I’m praying for the Sudanese Arabs. By day 30 this list is going to be crazy… I can’t wait.
Excellent blog. Sitting in silence or meditation is something I have been trying to get better at doing over the last few years. It’s really hard, for now I have been using guided meditation because I lack the discipline to just sit in silence. I recently read a blog on meditation by Marianne Williamson, she said that we should meditate first thing in the morning because it sets the tone for the rest of your day. “Sometimes it is difficult to change our thoughts. Sometimes our mental habits were formed very, very early in childhood and they represent the teaching and training of a fear-based world. And that is why we go to God. He renews your life by renewing your mind. But He cannot take from you what you will not release to Him. Take time to release to God all energies within you, all thoughts and feelings, all character defects, all wounds within you, which you know limit your life, block your growth, and keep from you the radiance and joy, which is your natural inheritance as a child of God.”
I have been using her morning meditation and I do feel more balanced and have a peaceful mindset in the morning. And I have stopped watching or listening to the news first thing when I wake up. The prayer/meditation I stole from Marianne to start each day: Dear God,
Give meaning to my life, health to my body and graciousness to my heart on this day and every day, may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, for me and for all humankind. Amen.
First thing in the morning for me is when I get to the office, and that’s when I try and spend my first quiet time of the day. I also stopped paying attention to the news, not just in the morning but completely. I feel like I’m just as informed, without all the negativity that comes from mainstream media.
Let me know if you have any other ideas for silencing the mind; it’s one of the toughest things for me.