FINDING YOUR SOMEPLACE

 JUNE 29, 2022

Luke 6:12-13


12One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. 13When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles . . . .


Luke 5:16 

16But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.


Romans 12:2

2Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.


Philippians 4:6-7

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.


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This resting stuff sounds wonderful, but it sure is hard to practice, don’t you find? This resting stuff is good for us, and we believe that, but too frequently we are squeezed into the pattern of the world, go, go, go, …. Busy, busy, busy …. And we are drained physically, but maybe more importantly we are drained mentally and emotionally. When this kind of exhaustion hits us, we are often filled with worry and anxiety, we speak to others of frustration and maybe anger, we in these moments have nothing left to positively give to those we love, including our Creator. I am going to state the obvious this is NOT God’s intention for us. Remember God rested after the work of creation setting an example, God in the giving of the law gifted us with a day of rest – a sabbath. Most of us need a makeover, a change, a conversion in the structure of our lives.

Transformation—a process of profound change in character, condition, or composition.

Above, in Romans 12, Paul urges us to let God transform us, to allow His Spirit to renew our minds. We need to recognize that renewal is an ongoing process. Transformation and renewal happen when we make space and remove ourselves from the distractions and influences that surround us every day—just as Jesus modeled for us in our scriptures above. "Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed," we read.


It’s important to find our someplace where we can slow down, stop even, and focus our hearts and minds toward what God is doing.

Where do you focus best?

Nestled in a corner of your kitchen with a cup of coffee?

Out for a run, listening to music?

Early morning or late day walk by the river? A stroll through Ojibway? Kayaking to Peche Island?

Sitting in your backyard, or in one of our many local parks?

Find that somewhere that makes you feel close to God.

Then make it a habit to get in that space as often as you can to refocus your mind on the Creator.


Reflect:

Today in your focus space, take 5 minutes to think of things that may be distracting you. Things like circumstances that weigh heavy upon you, decisions you are struggling to make, ….. Maybe you will want to write them down, or punch them into your note app.

I want to invite you to do this: Each time you think of one of those disturbing, disrupting issues, offer it to Jesus in prayer just as we are invited to in Philippians 4:6-7,

in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

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