Here's something I note is happening in my life, and I wonder if it happens to others too. I sometimes get so worked up over an opinion that I find it hard to settle my mind down. I need a quiet-time before going to bed - I used to do my Bible study before blogging, thinking it was more important, now I do it after, preferring to have some peaceful reflection before retiring. However, I find that sometimes something hits me that I find hard to get out of my head. It is especially annoying when I'm trying to have a quiet time in the morning. I want to concentrate on talking to and listening to God, and I find my mind wandering, often onto the political discussion of yesterday's blogs.
So bottom line is, I love to talk, and to blog too (though I wish I could do it in less time), but I find it a distraction too. How do you other Christian bloggers deal with it, or is it just me?
I'm certainly no Thomas Merton, but I find myself wondering what's wrong with allowing your thoughts to wander over your day and the things that are on your mind in the holy presence of God?
I'm not sure you're doing anything wrong, myself.
Posted by: Mike Murdock at July 11, 2003 10:28 AMThanks for the encouraging words, Mike!
Actually prayer time for me this morning was much better than yesterday, after calling it an earlier night, so maybe I just need to get more sleep.
Posted by: Joel Fuhrmann at July 11, 2003 05:05 PMI have similar difficulties. Nothing works.
Posted by: Marcus Tullius Cicero, Hades at July 11, 2003 06:01 PMI sometimes have trouble focusing and concentrating... That makes it harder to blog, and the entries take longer to type than they should.
I haven't been updated frequently enough; I have so many potential entries to be blogged, but I haven't posted and published them yet... I hope I will be able to keep up the in the near future.
Keep up the great work, guys; God Bless!
Posted by: Aakash at July 12, 2003 05:09 PMJoel - mindful that Blogging ain't prayer, I finally set a time limit. When the clock strikes a certain time, I turn off the computer and don't turn it on again until another set time. Of course, prayer *during* blogging is also good for blogging, but prayer time alone, without distraction, is for you and God to get closer.
As to the topic themselves, my spiritual director finally suggested that if I find a given topic so distracting that I'm thinking about it when I should be praying, that I *step away from the topic*. The things Satan uses to distract us should be avoided, even if they might be good in and of themselves.
Posted by: Huw Raphael at July 14, 2003 11:18 AMThanks for all the comments!
I've noticed a couple of things recently.
Going to bed earlier is better.
I prefer an early morning quiet time, which doesn't have to be long, but it has to be quality time. While I believe in intercessory prayer, I don't put a high priority on it in the morning. The morning quiet time is better spent on praise, thanksgiving, and praying for guidance and wisdom for the day ahead - and confession too whenever that need is there.