What Distraction Steals
“Men insist on waiting for God to send them blessing in some 'supernormal' way . . . when all the while He is giving them abundant supply, if only they would learn to retreat into the fertile places of their own spirits.” H.E. Foschick
“The greatest teacher is silence. To come out of interior silence and to practice its radiance, its love, its concern for others, its trust in God—even in tragic situations—is the fruit of living from your inmost center, from the contemplative space within.” Father Thomas Keating
“The point of your time in solitude and silence is to do nothing and don’t try to make anything happen. Do nothing. Don’t try to make anything happen. In solitude and silence you’re learning to stop doing, stop producing, stop pleasing people, stop entertaining yourself, stop obsessing — stop doing anything except to simply be your naked self before God and be found by Him.” www.SoulShepherding.com
Our friends at My Life is Sacred described so beautifully why we need to step away for times of silence (like our upcoming guided retreat August 5):
“Just the other day I found myself having a conversation with a friend on my smart phone. I had her on speaker while I quickly checked my emails on the same phone. While sending a quick reply confirming another meeting, I received a text message across my screen from my daughter asking me to send her a doctor’s contact information.
"As I started to look it up, I realized that I really hadn’t heard the last few sentences that my friend had spoken. I was locked into not being fully present with anyone! When I hung up and put down my phone, I paused long enough to become very present to how my soul was feeling. It felt tired, fragmented, disappointed in myself and very dissatisfied.”
How locked in to NOT being present are you these days? It is so easy to be sucked into the mindset that multitasking, efficiency, or something “out there” are what makes us productive, special and important.
And yet, if we really pause long enough to be thoughtful about our life, we would begin to notice the aching dissatisfaction that this partially present way of living delivers.
I wonder what beauty we miss in God’s creation?
What creative thoughts or dreams we are robbed of by our distractions?
What important conversations never happen because we are tied up and not present?
Maybe it is time for you to take a “pause” from your daily routine, lay down the phone and close the laptop to become fully present with the One who designed you and discover the fertile, beautiful spaces within. Join us on the restful campus of Ignatius House Retreat Center, for "The Treasure Within" from 2 Corinthians 4:7.
Consider inviting your spouse, friends, co-workers, or ministry partners. For more information and registration, go to www.atlantaexhale.com. Be sure to check out the FAQ tab for all those questions you may have.
BETH