“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you.” –Mark 11:24-25

            This morning I want to start out by asking you to do something for me. I want you to sit quietly for 3 minutes. Do your best not to think about the stresses of your day or things that you need to get done. Set a timer and just spend 3 minutes in complete solitude. That might mean that you just sit in your car before or after work for an extra couple of minutes. Here’s my 3 minutes, ready, GO!

            Outside my office window is our nativity scene and some beautiful houses in a nice wooded area covered with a light dusting of snow. That is what I got to look at and ponder for my 3 minutes. Solitude time. A time to be alone and take 3 minutes for yourself to look at and admire what is around you. If you ever get the chance, go up to northern Minnesota to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park and spend a couple of hours of solitude time. Now I am not one who does well by himself for long periods of time but that is a great experience. So what does solitude actually accomplish and why do I suggest it?

            It’s a time where you are alone or away from everyone else. You can relax and listen or watch God’s creation. You can be happy or upset, joyful or sad, and many other emotions that no one else needs to know about but you and God. It is a time that you can take to have a candid conversation with God. Some time to pray. Don’t get me wrong, God knows what’s going on in your life, He just wants to hear it from you. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. You can just start telling Him the story of what is going on in your life. Tell Him like you would tell a friend. And maybe you will be compelled to tell Him things that you normally couldn’t or ask for forgiveness for things that you have done or not done that have hurt others. Whatever the case may be He is listening. He is always listening. And in that same solitude time He is communicating with you. You just have to listen. You can see the wind blowing through the trees or the birds flying through the air and know that they are taken care of. And if they are taken care of why wouldn’t God take care of you?

           

Question of the day: How can you fit some solitude/prayer/forgiveness time into your busy day?

“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” –Mahatma Gandhi