2015 May be your year for deep spiritual growth

What is your energy level like as we end 2014 and move into 2015? Have you caught your breath after Christmas yet? Have you had any time to think about what you are going to do different next year?

To begin to get ready for 2015, I’ve spent some time clearing out old documents and pictures from my computer, reading through thoughts I jotted down in 2013, dumping some, and saving some.

In the “save” category I kept a quote from last December. It seemed to be worth saving and sharing, especially now, at the end of the year.

I am not certain if this is an exact quote or just the thought behind what he was saying, however, in respect to Dr. Havner, I will share it with you as a quote.

“We Christians have allowed this crazy age to steal from us the quiet hour. We, too, have been caught in the whirl, and we cannot minister to others because we are as tired and feverish and hurried as the world.” (Moody Radio, 12/26/2013)

As we plan for 2015, would you agree that planning in some quite time would be a high priority?

When I started consistently making time for quiet time with God every morning, I began to notice an immense difference in the rest of my day. It has been so noticeable, that as things got busy before Christmas and I missed a day or two of God time, I could feel myself becoming irritable with co-workers, and impatient with customers, in a way that was out of character for me.

It didn’t take me long to notice that I was not comfortable in this irritable, impatient persona.   I didn’t like myself, and I was certainly not a good witness as a Christian on those days. I determined that nothing needed my time as much as the quiet time, God time mornings. It was amazing how this dedication paid off the rest of the month as I drew closer and closer to Christ. The Baby in the manger loomed large in my consciousness all day long, as I prepared to celebrate the day we remember his birth.

This important lesson really was a gift from God, and given in His usual, “you can’t miss this” fashion. Thank you God for caring enough about our time together that you made this lesson so unavoidably clear.

Don’t let the world steal your quiet, God time. God longs to have special time just with you. Meeting with God is a privilege. Think of it as “holy” time and give it the value it is due.

I think you will find your spiritual life recharged and your walk with God strengthened.

God bless you and yours in 2015.

M.