With everything in the world seeming to spin off center you might think it would be better to say “It’s time to Stand Up!” Well, in God’s realm things are often opposite of this worldly realm and indeed there is no time like the present to Sit Down.

Many people turn to God as a last resort. They only seek Him when they are struggling and need something from Him. While troubled times are great times to seek God, He is not the great vending machine in the sky and to put Him in that place indicates a sad, spirit draining life. Rather, a daily seeking of the God of All Creation is more beneficial and will even smooth out those troubled times. As you look to God and lean into that relationship your spirit will be renewed with comfort, peace, joy and overwhelming love. That is NEVER a bad thing and it is easier than you think to accomplish that growth in God.

Psalm 89:15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim You, who walk in the light of Your presence, O Lord.

Did you know that God desires you to delight in Him? He does not desire sacrifice but rather desires your love and adoration. He desires you to have a heart that follows Him and looks to Him for the gifts He so lovingly longs to bestow upon you. I like to call my daily time with God my quiet time or even my daily soaking time and when I start my day with God at the center I carry the light of God’s presence with me where ever I go.

I encourage you to set aside time to Sit Down with God and see what happens. Are you wondering where to begin and how to have daily soaking time? The answer is easy – begin anyway and anywhere you want…just begin. You can read scripture, read a devotional, listen to worship music, or just get to a place where you have a beautiful view and take it all in. Just be sure to Press Pause, Sit and Listen.

Your daily soakings in the Spirit of God do not have to have a formula to be “perfect” or to be “right”. Let the Holy Spirit move IN you…then soak it in. Listen for what God has to say TO you…then take it to heart. Wait for the peace of Jesus, your Savior, to fall ON you…then rest. Let our Triune God do the work and you just SIT and soak in His presence.

To encourage you further I want to share a recent SIT moment I experienced. It was a giggly, fun, loving and JOYFUL time with my Abba-Father and I am still feeling the glow. 🙂

I awoke at 5 AM (no alarm, God just woke me up). I went to my quiet corner and read my Jesus Always devotional. The reading was a good reminder of the daily GIFT of salvation to me and how I should live in gratitude of that gift and be filled with JOY. In reading the scriptures referenced, I read on through the entire chapter of Psalm 96 and verse 12 says “let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy.” This made me giggle – as I had a special moment last May with another verse of scripture that mentions the trees singing for joy while I was sitting in a forest listening to them! It felt like a hug from Jesus!

I sat in my quiet place and prayed for a few minutes, not through a long list of needs or wants, just about what God laid on my heart. Then, I grabbed a cup of coffee and headed outside where I sat in my hammock chair, with Known by Tauren Wells playing on repeat and just watched the world awake. That song says over and over that I am fully known and fully loved by God. So, I soaked in that promise, watched the day unfold and was deeply moved by God. I laughed at hummingbirds playing about and I noticed the large birds floating in the sky above, I gave thanks for the beauty that God has given me through this world and I just sat. It was incredible and filled my heart and my spirit with unfathomable JOY! What a gift!!

I don’t have an experience like that every morning, but I do come into God’s presence desiring to draw near, yet expecting nothing from Him. He has rewarded that desire with deep Joy, Peace and Overwhelming LOVE in my spirit. I know He has the same gifts, and even more, for you! Draw near to Him and let Him give you those gifts.

Your daily soaking doesn’t have to be first thing in the morning, although being awake before the world and starting your day centered on Christ is a bonus. If you just set aside ANY time during the day to Sit Down and just be with God, you will delight His heart and you might be surprised at what you hear. Don’t be fearful if you don’t hear things right off the bat. It takes a bit of tuning out the world to tune in the message from the heavenly realm. I encourage you to simply start to set aside the time to sit and listen for God to speak to you.

Remember as you get started with your daily soaking – there are no rules and there is no condemnation from God if you miss a day or “don’t do it right”. If you hear that, that is the enemy distracting you because he does not want you to draw close to God. Ignore and rebuke that lie, then press on and enjoy the fellowship with God. I know God will not send you away empty handed, in fact, He will send you away with a full heart.

Love and Blessings,

Pamela