We Aren’t All Monks & We Aren’t All Activists
We Aren’t All Monks & We Aren’t All Activists
This is post two in a series of four posts about how our different personality types and temperaments give us different ways to grow in our “up” relationship with God, our “in” relationship with our community and our “out” relationship with the world. To see post one click HERE.
“You mean, I don’t have to have a personal devotional time with God for an hour every morning to connect deeply with God?”
This was my response to a mentor of mine a few years ago.
It’s as if I was just told that I was given permission to break one of the Ten Commandments.
Having a daily “devotional time” or “quiet time” feels like a great idea until my extroverted, easily distracted, action-oriented self actually TRIES to sit still. It seriously takes a lot of discipline.
The catch phrase “devo” must have been coined by an introverted, deep thinking, feeler type of person. I love to be around those types of people, but no matter how much time I spend with them, I don’t develop these wonderful traits.
I haven’t given up on the practice completely because it’s often good to challenge myself to do something that is hard. I think most of us would agree.
But when it comes to my “up” relationship with God, connecting with him looks different for me than it does for a more contemplative person.
For the Bomhemian Roucus Rhapsody personality that I described in my last post, I tend to connect with God more through action: walking, driving, talking out loud (even just to God), serving, etc.
Others absolutely need to find a good amount of time in quiet to spend thinking and praying, or they will begin to feel like their life has lost its meaning. I’ve had people tell me they often dream of spending weeks alone in a cabin just reflecting, meditating and praying.
Do we give ourselves permission to step into what is life-giving when it comes to connecting in our “up” relationship with God?
As Parker Palmer talks about in his book, The Active Life, we aren’t all monks and we aren’t all activists, but “to be fully alive is to act… and to be fully alive is to contemplate”. He suggests that these practices are intertwined and one is at the heart of the other.
Our God is active in the world and is moving towards us. So I’ve decided to commit to try one or two new practices this summer to respond and move towards God.
Would you consider joining me?
Here are some ideas:
- Daily Prayers – Set an alarm on your phone to pray for short time periods throughout the day. The “book of common prayer” is an ancient Christian Tradition put into modern form in this app and book.
- Prayer Walk – Plan a route and pray for different categories each block or section of the walk (i.e. family and friends, personal needs, the kingdom to come, injustice in the world). For the more extroverted, do this with a friend.
- Lord’s Prayer – Pray the Lord’s Prayer, focusing for a few minutes on each line and what it may mean. This is a great prayer while taking a prayer walk.
- Devotional Books – Many people find it helpful to have a guide each day. A timeless example is My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers. There is even an app for that.
- Moravian Text – These few scriptures each day are read by thousands of people all over the world. You can get a book here or get them emailed to you here.
- Dwell in nature – Take intentional nature walks, asking God to speak to you through creation.
- Pray out loud – It can be awkward at first, but if you know your alone, it can be powerful.
- Journal – This could be digital, written, and even in bullet-point form.
- Scripture Audio – Play CDs of scripture being read in the car or on your smart phone. This app has that capability.
- Rewrite a Psalm – Go through the 150 Psalms over the summer, rewriting them in your own words and directed towards your own circumstances.
- Lectio Divina – This ancient way of meditating on scripture is outlined well here.
- Listen and Pray While Working Out – For the more active type, you can talk to God and hear God well while running, biking, walking or other activities.
- Gratitude Journal – Take it with you and write down everything you are grateful for, it’s proven to reduce stress when we do this. You could even start this on your phone.
- Listen at Work – Ask God to speak to you while you work – look and listen for what God is doing around you.
- Pray/Worship While Cleaning – Put in some headphones and listen to an album, here’s a good list on Spotify.
What in this list captures your imagination? Why not try it this summer?
*The concept of “Up, In, Out” comes from Mike Breen and 3DM, to read more click HERE
We Aren’t All Monks & We Aren’t All Activists
This is post two in a series of four posts about how our different personality types and temperaments give us different ways to grow in our “up” relationship with God, our “in” relationship with our community and our “out” relationship with the world. To see post one click HERE.
“You mean, I don’t have to have a personal devotional time with God for an hour every morning to connect deeply with God?”
This was my response to a mentor of mine a few years ago.
It’s as if I was just told that I was given permission to break one of the Ten Commandments.
Having a daily “devotional time” or “quiet time” feels like a great idea until my extroverted, easily distracted, action-oriented self actually TRIES to sit still. It seriously takes a lot of discipline.
The catch phrase “devo” must have been coined by an introverted, deep thinking, feeler type of person. I love to be around those types of people, but no matter how much time I spend with them, I don’t develop these wonderful traits.
I haven’t given up on the practice completely because it’s often good to challenge myself to do something that is hard. I think most of us would agree.
But when it comes to my “up” relationship with God, connecting with him looks different for me than it does for a more contemplative person.
For the Bomhemian Roucus Rhapsody personality that I described in my last post, I tend to connect with God more through action: walking, driving, talking out loud (even just to God), serving, etc.
Others absolutely need to find a good amount of time in quiet to spend thinking and praying, or they will begin to feel like their life has lost its meaning. I’ve had people tell me they often dream of spending weeks alone in a cabin just reflecting, meditating and praying.
Do we give ourselves permission to step into what is life-giving when it comes to connecting in our “up” relationship with God?
As Parker Palmer talks about in his book, The Active Life, we aren’t all monks and we aren’t all activists, but “to be fully alive is to act… and to be fully alive is to contemplate”. He suggests that these practices are intertwined and one is at the heart of the other.
Our God is active in the world and is moving towards us. So I’ve decided to commit to try one or two new practices this summer to respond and move towards God.
Would you consider joining me?
Here are some ideas:
- Daily Prayers – Set an alarm on your phone to pray for short time periods throughout the day. The “book of common prayer” is an ancient Christian Tradition put into modern form in this app and book.
- Prayer Walk – Plan a route and pray for different categories each block or section of the walk (i.e. family and friends, personal needs, the kingdom to come, injustice in the world). For the more extroverted, do this with a friend.
- Lord’s Prayer – Pray the Lord’s Prayer, focusing for a few minutes on each line and what it may mean. This is a great prayer while taking a prayer walk.
- Devotional Books – Many people find it helpful to have a guide each day. A timeless example is My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers. There is even an app for that.
- Moravian Text – These few scriptures each day are read by thousands of people all over the world. You can get a book here or get them emailed to you here.
- Dwell in nature – Take intentional nature walks, asking God to speak to you through creation.
- Pray out loud – It can be awkward at first, but if you know your alone, it can be powerful.
- Journal – This could be digital, written, and even in bullet-point form.
- Scripture Audio – Play CDs of scripture being read in the car or on your smart phone. This app has that capability.
- Rewrite a Psalm – Go through the 150 Psalms over the summer, rewriting them in your own words and directed towards your own circumstances.
- Lectio Divina – This ancient way of meditating on scripture is outlined well here.
- Listen and Pray While Working Out – For the more active type, you can talk to God and hear God well while running, biking, walking or other activities.
- Gratitude Journal – Take it with you and write down everything you are grateful for, it’s proven to reduce stress when we do this. You could even start this on your phone.
- Listen at Work – Ask God to speak to you while you work – look and listen for what God is doing around you.
- Pray/Worship While Cleaning – Put in some headphones and listen to an album, here’s a good list on Spotify.
What in this list captures your imagination? Why not try it this summer?
*The concept of “Up, In, Out” comes from Mike Breen and 3DM, to read more click HERE
Love this, Steph! Thanks for the suggestions.
I’m in!