Our Gentle Posture Toward Time
Do not be frightened. There is so much you cannot control. And time is one of those things. Why is it you fret about the passing of days? I am in the midst of all time. And how I count the seconds of your life is not by what is or what is not accomplished. What are seconds to me? What is a day? What is a life? I am present in your heart. And where I am, there is no boundary.
* * *
May we be rooted in this moment as best we can. May we be present, our hearts awake, alert, attentive to Holy Spirit’s breath within us.
Yes, breathe, Lord, in me.
In.
Out.
Let me breathe You in now.
* * *
Get comfortable, removing everything from your hands. Take deep breaths, in and out, being intentional about the slowness and depth of your breathing.
Feel your diaphragm rise with each air intake in your lungs and then fall as you fully push the air out.
On each inhale and exhale, focus your awareness on Holy Spirit within you.
Stay here for a few minutes, mindful of your heart and Holy Spirit as one.
Keep your attention inward to the deep place within you where you can easily engage with Holy Spirit.
Lord, draw me inward; draw me deeper. Help me to be here with You.
I now consecrate my heart, mind, thoughts, and emotions to You. I bring all of me under your authority. Guide me, lead me, let me be present to You now.
Deep breath….
I give You all my attention. I surrender all my concerns, fears, worries, and doubts to You. I give you… (Be specific and name each worry, thought, and concern….)
Surrender your imagination to Jesus and see Him taking all your concerns and fears from you.
Next, in your journal, ask God to help you find words to articulate your feelings. Tell Him how you feel and how you need Him in this moment. What does He say to you in response?
Lord, right now I feel….
I hear You in my heart telling me…
Keep your heart engaged with Jesus, staying in this conversation with Him (writing it down in your journal if you’d like) for five or more minutes.
Next, as we turn our attention to time, consider your reaction to the words at the top of this page, which I heard in prayer when I asked Holy Spirit about time. And then, read the quote below and talk with God about your emotions/opinions/struggles with time.
"Clock time (chromos) is divided into minutes, hours, days, and weeks, and its compartments dominate our lives. In chronological time, what happens to us is a series of disconnected incidents and accidents that we seek to manage or subdue to feel in control of our lives. Time becomes a burden unless we convert it into God's time.
"God's time (kairos) has to do with opportunity and fullness of meaning, moments that are ripe for their intended purpose. When we see time in light of our faith in the God of history, we see that the events of this year are not just a series of happy or unhappy events but part of the shaping hands of God, who wants to mold our world and our lives. Even when life seems harried and continues to have hard moments, we can believe that something good is happening amid all of this. We get glimpses of how God might be working out his purposes in our days. Time becomes not just something to get through or manipulate or manage, but the arena of God's good work in us” (Henri J. M. Nouwen, Turn My Mourning Into Dancing, Hope for Hard Times).
As you consider the quote above, let God lead the conversation, but here are some questions to consider:
Lord, what are my struggles with chromos/clock time?
How is chronological time a burden for me?
Next, as you continue to engage with God’s heart for you around the topic of time, spend 15 or so minutes contemplating the verses below. Read each verse carefully a few times, with your heart and mind open.
Lord, help me to hear your voice in my heart as I receive these words.
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Psalm 90:2).
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-5).
“But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day” (2 Peter 3:8).
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).
“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 3:1).
What is Holy Spirit telling you right now, through these verses? How do you feel about God’s time (kairos) versus the world’s (chronological)?
What is your emotional response? What is your practical response?
Continue to engage with God, allowing your heart to be open and receptive to what He is showing you now.
Amen.
Worship Ideas:
“Vapor,” Gungor
“God of All My Days,” Casting Crowns
“Trust In You,” Lauren Daigle
“Slow Me Down” The Porter’s Gate, Jon Guerra, Sandra McCracken