[Faith-talk] Fw: Slow Down and Listen {Encouragement for Today}

Tue Oct 11 02:16:31 UTC 2016

This is a great devotion!  We all need to be reminded to "Listen" to 
the "Still, Small voice" in our lives.  Life is very fast-paced and 
sometimes, it is just hard to keep up with everything.  Do any of you 
experience this?  Even as a totally blind person, we have to make more 
of an effort to keep up with life.  Sometimes, it is not an option to 
move slow.  As Christians, we should listen to the Lord before taking 
on a challenge.  Please send me your thoughts!  I would love to hear 
what your point-of-view is on this!  Thanks!

Forwarded message:

From: Proverbs 31 Ministries <devotions at proverbs31.org>
to: Beth Kats <bethkats at samobile.net>
Subject: Slow Down and Listen {Encouragement for Today}
Reply-To: Proverbs 31 Ministries <devotions at proverbs31.org>
Date: Mon, 10 Oct 2016 04:16:27 +0000

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Jill Hoven

October 10, 2016

Slow Down and Listen
JILL HOVEN, COMPEL Member 
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“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I 
will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10 (NLT) JILL HOVEN 
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The words “Be still” will now forever remind me of my mom.

“We’re home and fine,” I quickly called to tell her one day. I was 
always rushing. She simply wanted confirmation we had arrived home 
safely, but it felt unnecessary to call her.

Slow down; be patient, whispered a small voice in my mind. I pushed it 
aside, hung up the phone and rushed my toddlers to bed.

“Just one more thing?” Mom asked as I was leaving her hospital room, a 
few months later.

Pay attention; listen, whispered the still small voice.

I understood and returned to her bedside as she shared important 
information with me. She wanted to ensure I knew this before her 
procedure the next day, in case something went wrong.

“Everything will be fine, Mom,” I reassured her while wondering if it 
would be. It wasn’t. Over the next few days, complications of a rare 
disease and a series of small strokes stole Mom’s short-term memory.

“Where are you going?” Mom asked me about a year later, as I sat down 
next to her bed to give us both manicures. She couldn’t remember a 
necessary work party I was attending later, even though I’d already 
told her a few times. My heart still broke when she couldn’t remember 
things, but it didn’t really matter anymore. I wanted her nails to look 
nice for her upcoming funeral, but it was honestly just an excuse to be 
with her.

Be still; be present, whispered the still small voice.

Mom also couldn’t remember she was dying, which was a blessing. So we 
chatted about the party as I filed, buffed and polished. It was to be 
our last conversation.

A week later, peering down at those lovingly manicured nails in her 
casket, I whispered to the still small voice, Now what?

“Be still and know,” came the reply. I knew God’s presence. He carried 
me through the year of Mom’s whirlwind illness and death. He would 
continue to carry me through the next year of grief and searching. But 
being still was difficult.

I move quickly and always have. I rush to be on time, get things done 
and hurry to the next agenda item. This rushing often serves me well 
but also causes missed moments. I see this now.

God gently used my hardest days to teach me this lesson.

Slow down. Be patient. Pay attention. Listen. Be still. Be present.

His whispers to me then are what I teach others now. God directed me to 
a new path when I was quiet and still enough to listen. He’s 
continually teaching me.

Me? The girl who rushes? God asked me to help people with memory 
issues. Me? The one who’s always gone fast? I must now slow down and be 
patient. Me. The one who finds it difficult to stop moving … is 
learning to be still.

God is all around us. He speaks in His creation, a child’s laughter, a 
friend’s comfort or a hushed whisper. I always knew His presence but 
wasn’t always listening. God allows people, situations and things in 
our lives for reasons we may never understand. But He never leaves us; 
He is always present.

Understanding His presence and being still enough to sense it are two 
different things. I needed to slow down and quiet myself long enough to 
fully hear Him.

He’s been speaking my whole life. His inaudible whispers to my soul, 
the sense of what to do, say or not say — these were always present. 
But in my haste, I often failed to see or hear them. Making time, 
slowing down and putting God first has helped me hear His voice more 
clearly. I now know Him more and encourage others to as well. Hearing 
His whispers has led me to new adventures I could never have known on 
my own. But first, I needed to be still.

Do you sense His presence and still small voice? Pay attention. Slow 
down. Be still and know.

Dear Lord, we know Your presence is ever present with us. Equip our 
hearts and minds to be still and know this in the depths of our soul. 
Help us to hear and follow Your voice alone. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow 
me.” (NLT)

Hebrews 12:25, “Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One 
who is speaking. For if the people of Israel did not escape when they 
refused to listen to Moses, the earthly messenger, we will certainly 
not escape if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!” (NLT)

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a platform but realize it takes more writing than you thought? Today’s 
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membership community equipping those who want to hone their craft. Take 
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REFLECT AND RESPOND:
What is one way to adjust your day to ensure you hear God speaking to you?

What would change in your life if you were to slow down, be still and 
listen to God today?

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