Isolation for Preparation 1

There are times when God removes us from the routine of life so that he can spend some time with us. Without God "taking this time" with us, we would drift through our lives preoccupied and distracted by life, never pursuing the destiny and purpose he created us for. Because these places of separation are often uncomfortable, we resist them and conclude that God must be punishing us, when in reality He is preparing us through separation.

Have you ever had the experience of having limited use of your senses? When you have a cold it is difficult to smell, when it is very loud you rely on your eyes and gestures to communicate, etc. Deprivation in one area has been proven to lead to an enhancement in another. By isolating our senses we strengthen others. This is the type of isolation to which we are referring. Isolation from something that may be very good and helpful, yet may mask a weakness or underdevelopment in another area.

Try playing with isolating your senses. Close your eyes and try to identify sounds in the room. Determine how close or far away another person is just through sense of smell and touch.

Now, think about the most pressing influences in your life. Your "to do" list? Media? (facebook?) other people? What would you notice if you were isolated from these things.

Prayer: Spend some time with God today with your eyes closed and trying not to "tell" or "ask" God anything. Try to simply listen. Try to isolate your senses from other distractions for 5 minutes and see what you are able to "hear" from God.