1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,120 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:10,239 Speaker 2: Hey friend, do you ever feel like the busyness of 3 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,440 Speaker 2: life makes it hard to slow down and truly connect 4 00:00:13,480 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 2: with Jesus. Do your priorities and passions feel jumbled and 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 2: out of whack? Then join me this summer on my 6 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 2: podcast how to Study the Bible as we Dive into 7 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 2: Spiritual Rhythms, a six week series that will lead us 8 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 2: through six spiritual rhythms to help us slow down and 9 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 2: make space for Jesus in the busyness of everyday life. 10 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:34,880 Speaker 2: To guide us, I've put together a free downloadable six 11 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 2: week study available at nicoleunis dot com slash Spiritual Practices. 12 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 2: The study will walk us through God's word as we 13 00:00:42,200 --> 00:00:46,040 Speaker 2: learn to embrace daily practices that draw us closer to Jesus. 14 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 2: Each week on the podcast, we'll walk through one spiritual 15 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 2: rhythm that helps us discover how to spend intentional time 16 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 2: with God, align our passions and balance our priorities, and 17 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 2: make time and space for restfulness and celebration. Download Spiritual 18 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:03,360 Speaker 2: Rhythms for free today at nicoleunics dot com slash Spiritual 19 00:01:03,400 --> 00:01:06,120 Speaker 2: Practices and I'll see you on How to Say the Bible. 20 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,040 Speaker 2: Hey everyone, Welcome back to How to Stay the Bible. 21 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 2: I'm Nicole Unis your host, your fellow friend traveling through scripture, 22 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 2: and I'm so glad to be here today. In this 23 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 2: series called Spiritual Rhythms, we've been looking together at what 24 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 2: it looks like in our day to day life to 25 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 2: follow the way of Jesus. What are the things that 26 00:01:45,720 --> 00:01:48,640 Speaker 2: Jesus did as an example to us of what it 27 00:01:48,680 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 2: looks like to live at a pace and with a 28 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 2: perspective in which we're able to actually be in touch 29 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 2: with our heavenly Father where our souls are ready and 30 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 2: willing to receive what God has for us and friends. 31 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:05,120 Speaker 2: This is something as we know we talked about at 32 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:07,800 Speaker 2: the beginning of the series when Rev. Rachel was here. 33 00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 2: This is something that people have been seeking since the 34 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: very beginning of Christianity. Like right away in Christianity, the 35 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 2: human impulse to do and to create and to build 36 00:02:20,680 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 2: was sort of being tempered by these desert fathers and 37 00:02:23,840 --> 00:02:25,640 Speaker 2: mothers who would ask the question like what does it 38 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 2: really look like to be set apart? What does it 39 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 2: really look like to experience the richness of God and 40 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 2: to really walk the way that Jesus walked. So we've 41 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: taken on a few of these rhythms over the summer, 42 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 2: and we want to invite you to take those on 43 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 2: with us, either by yourself or in a group. We've 44 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 2: put together a free download for you. You can find 45 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 2: it at nicoleunics dot com slash Spiritual Practices. It's also 46 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:52,519 Speaker 2: in the show notes if you want to click there. 47 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:55,280 Speaker 2: This is just a free download that gives you a 48 00:02:55,320 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 2: couple pages for each week, asking some questions, giving you 49 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:02,280 Speaker 2: some things to read, suggesting some habits that you can 50 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 2: take on. So we want you to use that. You 51 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,640 Speaker 2: can use it anytime. You can come back to this 52 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 2: when it's the right time for you, because especially this week, 53 00:03:10,639 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 2: I find that this conversation that we're going to have 54 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:14,800 Speaker 2: this week, it will be the right time for you 55 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 2: at some point. I don't know if that point is 56 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 2: right now, but if you know that this is the 57 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 2: time for you, you're going to know it when we talk 58 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:25,800 Speaker 2: about what does it look like to pursue silence and solitude? 59 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:27,920 Speaker 2: So I want to talk first of all about a 60 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 2: scripture that is going to be our guiding place of conversation. 61 00:03:31,440 --> 00:03:34,119 Speaker 2: Will use our general a live method to walk through 62 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 2: that scripture, and then we're going to look at what 63 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,560 Speaker 2: this looks like for us right now, for where you 64 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 2: are in your life, whatever is going on, whatever level 65 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 2: of weariness you might be facing, whatever level of connection 66 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 2: or disconnection you might be experiencing with God. I think 67 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 2: that there is something really beautiful here for us. So 68 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 2: we're going to be in Luke chapter five, if you 69 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:55,640 Speaker 2: want to turn there, just a couple of verses we're 70 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 2: going to focus in on, and we'll look at what's 71 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,760 Speaker 2: going on around it as well. So I'm just going 72 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 2: to invite you to take a deep breath and cast 73 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:07,680 Speaker 2: away whatever else you're thinking about until this moment right here, 74 00:04:07,920 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 2: and engage in what is happening in this passage as 75 00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 2: we read together. So Jesus heals a man with leprosy. 76 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,240 Speaker 2: This is going to be Luke five, verse twelve. While 77 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 2: Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came 78 00:04:21,279 --> 00:04:24,599 Speaker 2: up who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, 79 00:04:24,600 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 2: he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, Lord, 80 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 2: if you are willing, you can make me clean. Jesus 81 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:33,440 Speaker 2: reached out his hand and touched the man. I am willing, 82 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:36,800 Speaker 2: he said, be clean, and immediately the leprosy left him. 83 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 2: Then Jesus ordered him, don't tell anyone, but go show 84 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 2: yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses 85 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:47,240 Speaker 2: commanded for your cleansing as a testimony to them. Yet 86 00:04:47,360 --> 00:04:50,359 Speaker 2: the news about him spread all the more so that 87 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,200 Speaker 2: crowds of people came to hear him and be healed 88 00:04:53,200 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 2: of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places 89 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 2: and prayed. The news about him spread all the more 90 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:04,719 Speaker 2: so that crowds of people came to hear him and 91 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:09,039 Speaker 2: to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew 92 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:13,920 Speaker 2: to lonely places and prayed. Okay, friends, you may be 93 00:05:14,080 --> 00:05:16,719 Speaker 2: noticing that I've reread you those last couple of verses 94 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:18,480 Speaker 2: because I want it to you to take that in. 95 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 2: Sometimes it's so easy to skip over a quick verse, 96 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 2: a maybe interlude between points of action. But I think 97 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 2: that this interlude is one of the most important things 98 00:05:28,520 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 2: that we can understand about following the way of Jesus, 99 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:35,200 Speaker 2: because in the midst of success, in the midst of 100 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:38,960 Speaker 2: what we would consider ministry success that Jesus is having, 101 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 2: he is also taking intentional time where he withdraws from 102 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,520 Speaker 2: what's happening, and he goes and prays, And it's always 103 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:50,760 Speaker 2: always struck me, friends, that Jesus lived a perfect life. 104 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,919 Speaker 2: He lived a perfect life without sin, He lived in 105 00:05:55,000 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 2: perfect communion with his father, and he himself needed to 106 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:04,440 Speaker 2: get away from the people, from the pressure from the 107 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,880 Speaker 2: action in order to reconnect with his heavenly father. If 108 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 2: the perfect son of God who lived a sinless life 109 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 2: needed to withdraw in order to be who he was 110 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 2: meant to be, don't you think that you and I 111 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 2: are going to need the same thing? And I know 112 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 2: that that might strike you as a funny thing, Like 113 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:25,040 Speaker 2: you mile, I'm not out there healing, I'm not out there. 114 00:06:25,040 --> 00:06:27,640 Speaker 2: But you are. You're You're called as a son or 115 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,040 Speaker 2: daughter of God. You're called to a mission and to purpose. 116 00:06:31,320 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 2: And so many times I think we live our lives 117 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 2: at such a breakneck speed, and we wonder why we 118 00:06:37,960 --> 00:06:43,200 Speaker 2: feel frazzled or weary, or empty or disconnected from God. 119 00:06:43,680 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 2: And right here in the middle of this passage, we 120 00:06:45,680 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 2: see that Jesus made a very intentional move. He had 121 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 2: a very intentional rhythm to the way that he lived 122 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:53,600 Speaker 2: his earthly life. So let's back up just a little bit, 123 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 2: ask what does it say. So. We see here that 124 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 2: Jesus does a healing, He heals a man with leprosy. 125 00:06:59,600 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 2: This may and would have been cast out of society. 126 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,840 Speaker 2: He would have been not able to go to the temple, 127 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,040 Speaker 2: not able to worship, not able to be with his family. 128 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 2: This is a full scale isolation, not just his physical illness, 129 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 2: but also his emotional relational health, his spiritual health. And 130 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 2: Jesus comes and he says, yes, I am willing. And 131 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 2: I love this idea that Jesus's boundaried life, his rhythms 132 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 2: of life, meant that when he said he was willing, 133 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,920 Speaker 2: he meant it one hundred percent. And I don't know 134 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 2: how many times you've had that little piece of the 135 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 2: Holy Spirit, a little niggle, a little you know, tap 136 00:07:34,800 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 2: on the shoulder, to care for someone, to love someone, 137 00:07:38,360 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 2: and you're you're just so tired, You're just so weary 138 00:07:42,080 --> 00:07:45,240 Speaker 2: that you can't say that you are willing. You can't say, 139 00:07:45,320 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 2: like Jesus said, I am willing. I am willing to 140 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 2: give of myself. I am willing to sacrifice. I am 141 00:07:50,960 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 2: willing to live a life of love, because we all 142 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 2: know that love takes sacrifice. And we see Jesus here 143 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 2: just so willing to care, so willing to heal, willing 144 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 2: to be interrupted. But yet after he does this, after 145 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 2: he cares for this man, after he instructs him and 146 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 2: guides him, he withdraws away from more people who want 147 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 2: more healing. So he has to step away from what 148 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:19,040 Speaker 2: everyone would say would be good work. He has to 149 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,040 Speaker 2: step away from what everyone clearly would probably feel like 150 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:26,720 Speaker 2: was very urgent work, very important work. Right on top 151 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: of that, if we back up in Luke chapter five, 152 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: we actually see that at the beginning of this chapter, 153 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,880 Speaker 2: Jesus is just calling his first disciples. So he has 154 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 2: just brought his quote unquote trainees around him. They are 155 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,840 Speaker 2: not ready to do the ministry. They probably don't feel 156 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 2: ready to do the ministry at all. And yet and 157 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:46,800 Speaker 2: even in the midst of that, even in the midst 158 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 2: of the pressure of his team and the pressure of 159 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:55,839 Speaker 2: the urgency of the ministry, Jesus still withdraws. He withdraws 160 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,280 Speaker 2: to lonely places in praise. So many times, think, my friends, 161 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 2: I think we think of rest and solitude as something 162 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 2: we do when we're burned out. But what we see 163 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:09,720 Speaker 2: is that rest and solitude is something Jesus does in 164 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:12,400 Speaker 2: the middle of his flow, in the middle of his 165 00:09:12,520 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 2: greatest work, he is doing this practice. So shouldn't you 166 00:09:16,320 --> 00:09:20,280 Speaker 2: and I care deeply about this same practice. So when 167 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,040 Speaker 2: we talk about this, So the backstory obviously here is 168 00:09:23,080 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 2: that Jesus is very full. His life is full, he 169 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 2: is busy, and yet in the midst of that he 170 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 2: has these practices that are so important. In fact, if 171 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 2: we cross reference back from the verse about Jesus withdrawing 172 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:38,719 Speaker 2: and praying, my Bible, my study Bible takes me back 173 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:41,920 Speaker 2: to Luke three twenty one. And when we go to 174 00:09:42,000 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 2: Luke three twenty one, we find that this is when 175 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,720 Speaker 2: Jesus was baptized, and it says that all the people 176 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 2: were being baptized. Jesus was baptized too, and adds he 177 00:09:51,520 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 2: was praying. Heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended 178 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 2: on him in bodily form like a dove, and a 179 00:09:57,880 --> 00:10:00,920 Speaker 2: voice came from heaven. You are my son, whom I 180 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,720 Speaker 2: love with you. I am well pleased. Oh I love 181 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 2: that cross reference. So what the Bible's doing is it's 182 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,640 Speaker 2: cross referencing the idea of praying, and it's taking us 183 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 2: back to the last time that there was this key 184 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 2: moment where Jesus is praying. And notice what happens in 185 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:21,520 Speaker 2: the key moment that Jesus is praying. In that key moment, 186 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 2: he is receiving affirmation from his heavenly father about his 187 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:38,440 Speaker 2: core identity. So when we fast forward two chapters and 188 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:41,720 Speaker 2: we're in Lute chapter five, and Jesus is getting all 189 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 2: of this pressure to lead his disciples to heal the people, 190 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 2: he has crowds of people listening to his teaching, the 191 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:52,000 Speaker 2: ministry is picking up, and in the midst of that, 192 00:10:52,240 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 2: Jesus goes back to the place where he is affirmed 193 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,319 Speaker 2: in his core identity. And that core identity is this 194 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:01,880 Speaker 2: heavenly five. They're saying, this is my son whom I love, 195 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 2: with whom I am well pleased. If Jesus, the perfect 196 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,559 Speaker 2: son of God who lived a sinless life, needed to 197 00:11:09,600 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 2: be reminded of his core identity, needed to have moments 198 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 2: where there is nothing between him and his father, where 199 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 2: he wasn't coming with petition, he wasn't coming with requests, 200 00:11:20,559 --> 00:11:23,960 Speaker 2: he wasn't coming with other people. He was simply coming 201 00:11:24,000 --> 00:11:26,560 Speaker 2: to be with his father. Don't you think that you 202 00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 2: and I would need the same thing now I can 203 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:31,160 Speaker 2: hear the protests that you might be having in your 204 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 2: spirit right now, because I have those same protests with myself. 205 00:11:34,520 --> 00:11:37,960 Speaker 2: Those protests sound something like, but I'm so busy. It 206 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 2: may be I don't know how to rest. There's no 207 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,480 Speaker 2: way I could get away from my obligations to actually 208 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 2: spend time in silence or solitude. Perhaps you have a 209 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:49,560 Speaker 2: deeper fear as well, which is what in the world 210 00:11:49,559 --> 00:11:52,400 Speaker 2: am I going to do by myself? What does it 211 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 2: even look like to try to be with God in 212 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 2: that way? And so if you have those protests, I 213 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:00,640 Speaker 2: understand I have him too, I understand them. I know 214 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 2: that it's difficult to imagine sometimes this really working. And 215 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,959 Speaker 2: so I want to invite you to maybe a practice 216 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 2: that feels reasonable and realistic. And we talk a little 217 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,640 Speaker 2: bit about this in the download to kind of help 218 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:14,600 Speaker 2: you along your way. But this practice can start with 219 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 2: just simply making a few minutes of disconnected time. You know, 220 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 2: we live in a world. This is why we talked 221 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:23,520 Speaker 2: about this a couple weeks ago. This idea of a 222 00:12:23,559 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 2: digital fast was even just trying to create space, because 223 00:12:27,160 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 2: we live in a world where there's no longer rhythms, 224 00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,560 Speaker 2: where you just have uninterrupted time. Before you had, you know, 225 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 2: your computer in your pocket, before you had a phone 226 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:40,400 Speaker 2: with you at all times, connected to every single thing 227 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 2: going on in the world and every relationship you have, 228 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:48,160 Speaker 2: you would have natural times of uninterrupted solitude. You would 229 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 2: drive your car to work, you would take a walk outside, 230 00:12:52,280 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 2: you might be waiting in a line, and you wouldn't 231 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:58,480 Speaker 2: be doing anything. You'd just be. And if you think 232 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:01,440 Speaker 2: about even a little bit, just a little bit more, 233 00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:04,959 Speaker 2: back in our history, we didn't have TVs. There wasn't 234 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:07,640 Speaker 2: all of this noise, There wasn't all of these inputs, 235 00:13:07,920 --> 00:13:10,240 Speaker 2: So there would have been a lot of just built 236 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 2: in rhythms of solitude. And I think that because that 237 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:17,480 Speaker 2: has slipped away, almost unnoticed, we may not recognize the 238 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:21,320 Speaker 2: fact that our soul deeply needs time to catch up 239 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 2: with our life, and that if you do not let 240 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,719 Speaker 2: your soul catch up with your life, your soul will 241 00:13:26,760 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 2: be deeply exhausted, it will be worn and beaten, and 242 00:13:32,880 --> 00:13:35,720 Speaker 2: it will have a hard time coming back to life, 243 00:13:36,200 --> 00:13:37,920 Speaker 2: coming back to life in a way that makes you 244 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:42,440 Speaker 2: feel alive, that allows the deepest part of you to 245 00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 2: commune with your heavenly father, the part that so deeply 246 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,400 Speaker 2: needs to know what to do with your longings, and 247 00:13:49,400 --> 00:13:51,240 Speaker 2: what to do with your desires, and what to do 248 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:55,320 Speaker 2: with your disappointments, what to do with your hurts, because friends, 249 00:13:55,360 --> 00:13:58,120 Speaker 2: all of us carry those. Every single one of us 250 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 2: has desires and longings and disappointments and hurts. And if 251 00:14:04,080 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 2: you don't let God be in those with you, they 252 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:11,120 Speaker 2: will have to be dealt with a different way. And 253 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,559 Speaker 2: our human way of dealing with those is not that great. 254 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:17,960 Speaker 2: The human way of dealing with that is to stuff it, 255 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,960 Speaker 2: or to dwell in it, or to run at such 256 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 2: a speed that the only opportunity for the body to 257 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 2: slow down is the body to break down. And the 258 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,600 Speaker 2: only way for the soul to catch up is when 259 00:14:30,760 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 2: the rest of the body gives up an exhaustion. And 260 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:37,120 Speaker 2: that often leads to a lot of hurt for ourselves 261 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:40,840 Speaker 2: and for people around us. And so it's crucial that 262 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,840 Speaker 2: we understand how to care for our soul, how to 263 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 2: allow God to care for our soul, and that the 264 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 2: way that that starts is with silence and solitude. So 265 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:54,640 Speaker 2: every relationship we have, any relationship you have that is meaningful, 266 00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 2: always has quality time connected with it. You cannot possibly 267 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 2: have a meaningful relation relationship without having long amounts of 268 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:07,240 Speaker 2: time to be in the relationship. Silence and solitude is 269 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:11,240 Speaker 2: often scary for us because there's nothing between us and God. 270 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 2: And we can use all kinds of things to kind 271 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:17,200 Speaker 2: of like manage our relationship with God. We can use 272 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:21,040 Speaker 2: something like this podcast. We can use a devotional or 273 00:15:21,040 --> 00:15:23,880 Speaker 2: someone else's reading or someone else's sermon as the way 274 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:26,480 Speaker 2: to manage our relationship with God. But God wants to 275 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 2: invite you to a personal relationship with him. God wants 276 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 2: to invite you to a personal relationship with Him with 277 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:40,160 Speaker 2: no excuses, no performances, no masks, no extras, just you 278 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 2: and Him. Because God desires to speak deeply into your soul, 279 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,600 Speaker 2: to heal you, to love you, to care for you, 280 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:51,400 Speaker 2: and a lot of times to do that, it requires solitude. 281 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 2: And oftentimes what we discover in solitude is that we're exhausted. 282 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 2: So as we enter into this practice, and maybe you 283 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 2: start with five minutes or ten minutes, fifteen minutes, as 284 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:03,520 Speaker 2: you enter into this practice and we walk you through 285 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 2: it in the download, I want to invite you to 286 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 2: not do anything in solitude and silence, not to do anything, 287 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 2: just to pay attention to how you feel and if 288 00:16:16,080 --> 00:16:18,280 Speaker 2: you're silence, I mean, I remember a time in my 289 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,120 Speaker 2: life when my kids were little, I was doing ministry, 290 00:16:21,160 --> 00:16:23,880 Speaker 2: I was starting to write. I was felt like God 291 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 2: had given me like this great deep desire for purpose 292 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,720 Speaker 2: and for caring. But I felt so constrained by just 293 00:16:31,480 --> 00:16:34,680 Speaker 2: raising little children and just the exhaustion of it that 294 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 2: when I entered into this spiritual practice for real in 295 00:16:38,400 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 2: that season as a young mom, every time I had 296 00:16:41,760 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 2: solitude with the Lord, I fell asleep every single time. 297 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:48,360 Speaker 2: Like I could fall asleep in two minutes, and I 298 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 2: would set my timer on my cell phone, get my 299 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,080 Speaker 2: kids down for a nap, whatever, finish up whatever I 300 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 2: was doing, sit down on the couch, put worship music 301 00:16:56,920 --> 00:17:01,000 Speaker 2: into a headphone, put my timer on my my phone. 302 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:04,520 Speaker 2: I would fall asleep just like that. I do not 303 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:08,480 Speaker 2: think that that disappointed God God my Haply think of 304 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 2: yourself as a parent. What makes you happier than knowing 305 00:17:11,880 --> 00:17:17,480 Speaker 2: your exhausted child has sleep when you're exhausted, fraid, Preschoore 306 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:19,639 Speaker 2: takes to dap. It is like the best thing that 307 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 2: ever happens, because you know it's exactly what their body 308 00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 2: and their soul need, And in that whole stretch of 309 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:27,720 Speaker 2: a season, every time I sat down to have solitude 310 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 2: with God, I fell asleep. I think that it delighted 311 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,159 Speaker 2: the Lord that I put time aside, and in that 312 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:38,439 Speaker 2: time I was able to have rest. Because our God 313 00:17:38,720 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 2: loves all of you. God doesn't just love you when 314 00:17:42,200 --> 00:17:44,800 Speaker 2: you're reading his Bible. God doesn't just love you when 315 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 2: you're like praying in a really intentional way. God loves 316 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:50,880 Speaker 2: all of you at all times. And God understands who 317 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 2: you are and what you need. So when you create 318 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:58,040 Speaker 2: spaces for God and you allow him into those spaces, 319 00:17:58,640 --> 00:18:02,119 Speaker 2: you're going to experience something different, and sometimes that something 320 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:04,439 Speaker 2: different is a little scary. You may realize that you 321 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,919 Speaker 2: have a lot of unprocessed grief or unprocessed pain. You 322 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 2: may realize that you have some areas in your life 323 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 2: that you're disappointed in or that you're frustrated by and 324 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 2: you don't know what to do with. You may discover 325 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 2: that you have a lot of shame around something that 326 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,840 Speaker 2: you haven't healed from, and that can be challenging. And 327 00:18:23,880 --> 00:18:25,679 Speaker 2: we can try to run from those things, but at 328 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:28,160 Speaker 2: some point they're going to catch up to us, and 329 00:18:28,520 --> 00:18:31,720 Speaker 2: we have a Father in heaven, who's in his merciful 330 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:36,920 Speaker 2: kindness wants to meet us. And beginning to end of scripture, 331 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,679 Speaker 2: what does God talk about? God talks about his compassion, 332 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 2: He talks about his desire to heal. He talks about 333 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:48,280 Speaker 2: his love. He talks about our identity. And the only 334 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 2: thing standing between us and all of those beautiful gifts 335 00:18:51,280 --> 00:18:54,080 Speaker 2: that God has for us is what God says, Oh, 336 00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 2: if only my people would turn to me, If only 337 00:18:57,760 --> 00:18:59,880 Speaker 2: my people would turn to me so that I could 338 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:04,240 Speaker 2: fuel them and making space for silence and solitude is 339 00:19:04,280 --> 00:19:06,080 Speaker 2: the way that you turn to God. That's the only 340 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 2: thing you're doing. You turn to God and you allow 341 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 2: him into that space. If your mind wanders, that's okay. 342 00:19:12,720 --> 00:19:15,400 Speaker 2: If you're not sure what to do with yourself, that's okay. 343 00:19:15,680 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 2: There's lots of ways to grow in this but the 344 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 2: only way to start is to start. The only way 345 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 2: to make progress is to actually start. So I want 346 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 2: to invite you to consider that challenge this week, that 347 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:30,639 Speaker 2: you might find a specific location in time to just 348 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,000 Speaker 2: abide with God. That you might pick fifteen minutes, that 349 00:19:33,240 --> 00:19:36,320 Speaker 2: you might pick twenty minutes. You don't have to be still, 350 00:19:36,359 --> 00:19:39,560 Speaker 2: you don't have to be like you in a closet somewhere. 351 00:19:39,640 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 2: Unless that works for you. You might take a walk 352 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,720 Speaker 2: with no cell phone. You may, you know, read a 353 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:47,160 Speaker 2: psalm the same psalm every single day. You may write 354 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 2: down a psalm every single day. Any of these practices 355 00:19:50,880 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 2: where you're quiet and there's space work. You just decide 356 00:19:55,240 --> 00:19:56,920 Speaker 2: which one works for you, or try a few different 357 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:59,360 Speaker 2: things and see what works for you. Just hold it loosely, 358 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,200 Speaker 2: give it a try. If this is something that you're 359 00:20:02,240 --> 00:20:05,679 Speaker 2: really practiced in, like you're actually quite experienced in silence 360 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:07,679 Speaker 2: and solitude, you love spending time with God like this, 361 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 2: maybe it's time for you to consider a silent weekend, 362 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:14,160 Speaker 2: or a silent couple of days, or even a retreat 363 00:20:14,160 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 2: where there's a spiritual director that you could engage with. 364 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:19,399 Speaker 2: Every time we go through transitions in life, new seasons 365 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 2: of life, there comes times for really intentional time with 366 00:20:22,400 --> 00:20:24,520 Speaker 2: the Lord, and this may be one of those times 367 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:26,679 Speaker 2: for you. So if you guys have questions about that, 368 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 2: please feel free to reach out Nicole at nicolenness dot com. 369 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:32,199 Speaker 2: Check out the download read what we have there for you. 370 00:20:32,240 --> 00:20:34,399 Speaker 2: And I want to give you one more tool for 371 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:36,680 Speaker 2: today before we leave, and this is a book by 372 00:20:36,760 --> 00:20:41,640 Speaker 2: Ruth Haley Barton. It's called Sacred Rhythms, and I love 373 00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 2: this book. There's a chapter about silence and solitude that 374 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 2: also connects to a longer book that she's written about 375 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:50,360 Speaker 2: silence and solitude, but Ruth Haley Barton's Sacred Rhythms will 376 00:20:50,359 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 2: link it in the show notes as well. Arranging our 377 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:56,119 Speaker 2: lives for spiritual transformation. That's another tool for you. But 378 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:58,880 Speaker 2: don't get caught up in those tools before you actually 379 00:20:58,920 --> 00:21:02,240 Speaker 2: just take the step of making some space for silence 380 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 2: this holitude. All right, Everyone got to you next week. 381 00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:11,119 Speaker 1: How to Study the Bible with Nicole Unis is a 382 00:21:11,160 --> 00:21:14,600 Speaker 1: production of Live Audio and Salem Media. If you like 383 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,120 Speaker 1: what you heard today, please take a second to rate 384 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:20,360 Speaker 1: and review the podcast in your favorite podcast app so 385 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: that more listeners like you can find the show. For 386 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 1: more faith filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio dot com.