Rest in the Woods

Before you read this excellent post, I still need $1,200 to be fully funded for this CGA season. Thank you so much for those who have partnered with me financially. We're so close! If you feel led to partner with me financially you can do so by following this link:
 https://www.adventures.org/give/donate.asp?giveto=worldrace&desc=Seth%20Powell or by sending a check made out to "Adventures in Missions" to:
PO BOX 742570 Atlanta, GA 30374-2570.
Thank you and please be in prayer for my fundraising! Now, you may read on. 

I’m a hugely analytical thinker.

You know this, so I’m not going to explain how any further.

I feel that this is a gift that God has given me to further His Kingdom. And I have! Logistics on the Race, planning for ministries throughout the world, being able to streamline things, and problem solving overall. I have even used this gift relationally. I can talk people through things and help them process.

I like who I am. It’d be ridiculous not to.

That being said, I think I have the problem of not always regulating my machine of a brain. The analyzing spills over into every avenue of my life. It’s all over the place.
Generally this is not a bad thing. I’m constantly observing and thinking. It’s kinda fun. But when it comes to my personal spiritual life it can sometimes be something of a hindrance.

In CGA we talk a lot about identity and who you are in God. We talk about how to be dangerous like Jesus. We talk about your callings and what your life is all about.

These are all things that get me thinking.

I am continuously striving to be closer to God. Closer to who my Father has called me to be. In this, I’m always trying to figure out how to be better. How to be more intimate with the Father. How to eliminate sin issues in my life. How to be more and more like Jesus. Searching for the root cause, the reason behind my troubles and roadblocks that keep me from feeling warm in the Father’s arms.

So what’s the issue? Sounds good, right? I mean, trying to get closer to God sounds like a pretty solid venture.

The issue is that I become a bit obsessive. In my quest for knowledge and understanding I think myself into corners and walls. I find myself so deep down a rabbit hole I have no idea what’s even going on anymore. 

I get frustrated. Then I get annoyed. Then I get angry. Then I get sad. Then I’m confused. Then desperate. Before I know it I’ve tried so hard to understand God that I feel completely alone. And at this point I’m even more lost than when I started.

Peace and rest are things that escape me easily. Especially since I tend to try and find these things from sleep, reading, entertainment, or even community. These things aren't bad necessarily, but it’s nothing compared to be peace with our Daddy in the sky.

Today during Monday worship I did something that’s becoming a habit, I wondered off into the woods around the office.
I just couldn’t focus. Felt restlessness and frustration. So I headed out into nature.

It was there near a quaint little stream and in the beautiful fall colors on the tress that I realized I was thinking too hard. Waaaaaay too hard. I realized that what I needed wasn’t an answer. Wasn’t the key to success. Wasn’t some quick fix or a powerful word from God that would change my life (though that would’ve been cool, too).

What I needed was just to rest in His embrace. Just BE with Him. No agendas. No hunts for answers. Just hanging with Dad!

I do that best in nature. I worship God through the awe and wonder I see in His creation. The intricate and beautiful way He knit our world together. I feel revived when I do this.
If you’re in a rut, maybe trying to figure out what’s going on in life. Searching for Him all over the place or over-thinking. Maybe you need just do what I did today, and spend some time with Him. May not even require a Bible, or a devotional, or a journal. In fact, try it without those things.

Just sit. Just be.

For me it’s nature. For you it could be worship. Maybe the history of the church. Who knows! But find out how you find rest in the Lord, and do it.

I’m gonna be working on it myself. Let me know how it goes! We’ll compare notes.

Wandering the woods,


Seth

Comments

  1. I've learned lately that God isn't one to guide us on our own "personal perfect planned path" in life. He's more about letting us learn from trying things out--making a -plan- that sets us up to be able to do well whatever we decide to pursue. The idea of a "perfect plan path" is too restrictive and can make us worry that we're not on it and are wasting time. Rather, with God we're always preparing ourselves to be ready for anything and everything.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Is The Body?

A Crumpled Dixie Cup

Incredibly Stuck