You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
“When we enter into solitude we will often hear these two voices – the voice of the world and the voice of the Lord – pulling us in two contrary directions. But if we keep returning faithfully to the place of solitude, the voice of the Lord will gradually become stronger and we will come to know and understand with mind and heart the peace we are searching for.
What do we do in our solitude? The first answer is nothing. Just be present to the One who wants your attention and listen! It is precisely in this “useless” presence to God that we can gradually die to our illusions of power and control and give ear to the voice of love hidden in the center of our being.
But “doing nothing, being useless,” is not as passive as it sounds. In fact, it requires effort and great attentiveness. It calls us to an active listening in which we make ourselves available to God’s healing presence and can be made new.”
Henri J. M. Nouwen in The Only Necessary Thing: Living a Prayerful Life, compiled and edited by Wendy Wilson Greer (New York: Crossroad, 1999) 82.
When I disciple people at GTP, I remind them that God does His most generous and abundant work through FAT – faithful, available, and teachable – people.
The voice of the world is loud and seeks to drown out the voice of the Lord. But the Lord whispers to us to be still and know Him. To take a posture of attentiveness and availability.
Think of the Good Samaritan. What made him so good? He was attentive and available. The priest and Levite that walked by the man in need were neither. They were fixed on their own agendas.
Not the Samaritan. He noticed the needy person (attentiveness) and moved toward him with compassion (available) and I am sure he did not make it to where he was going on schedule.
How does this post speak to you about your posture? Are you attentive? Are you available?