Learning to pause is not easy. Life has a way of pushing its agenda on our daily lives. Our minds are always telling us that there is another thing that has to be done. But if you look back at your life, those things usually don’t matter. Unplug from the addiction of the immediate and plug into the peace of the eternal.
Okay, let’s begin by taking a few seconds to consciously relax the body.
And when you’re ready, allow your eyes to slowly close.
Now take a moment to consider this verse. Be still and know that I am God.
And again, be still and know that I am God.
With an easy awareness, bring your attention to the space in the room,
just noticing the space. With an easy curiosity,
notice your place in the room.
Feel the weight of your body in the chair.
Feel the air on your skin.
Listen to the sounds in the room.
Maybe it’s quiet in the room, maybe it’s not. Both are okay.
You’re just listening and welcoming the sounds as part of the exercise.
Not wishing to change the sounds, just accepting the sounds as they are.
When it feels natural, slowly bring your awareness to the breath.
Allow your breath to be a reminder to stay in this present moment.
If your mind begins to wander, you can always come back to the feeling of the breath.
Relax and let your body honor the natural calm that only comes from the presence of a loving God.
With ease, bring your attention to the breath.
Take a few nice, deep breaths.
Make them feel easy and effortless.
Feel life enter your body as you breathe in,
and then release your tension as you breathe out.
Inhale, feel how the body expands, then slowly, Exhale, feeling the body fall.
Feel the air as it travels in through the nose and follow the air back out through the mouth.
Allow each breath to soften the chest and relax the shoulders.
Begin to scan the body from the head to the toe, relaxing the body piece by piece.
There is no way to do this wrong,
and now, for a few moments, allow your mind to do what it wants to do.
If it wants to think, then let it think, and if it wants to rest, then let it rest.
Take this verse with you. Be still and know that I am God.
Allow your awareness to slowly come back to your body, and when it feels natural, begin to open your eyes. Sit back in your chair. Maybe you want to stretch a little bit. Do whatever feels good. Take a moment to notice how you feel. I hope you feel a little more relaxed. We’ll see you again tomorrow. For another day of hope.
Love is the miracle drug. Love allows us to overcome pain and disappointment. It allows us to persevere through struggles. It restores our hopes and dreams. God is love. And what God loves most is love. is you.
Many of us grew up with the idea that God was sitting in heaven writing down every bad thing that we ever did. But what God tells us He actually does is not writing, but erasing. As soon as we can add another item to our list of wrongs, God is erasing it. This is because God is love, and love keeps no record of wrongs.
When we seek God, we always get more than we ask for. We’re seeking connection. And without even asking for it, God begins to change our hearts. He begins to gradually release all those negative thoughts and feelings that we hold on to. Gradually, He changes what’s inside of us.
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