Focus

Prepare yourself to discern what is and what is not of God today. Still yourself so you can hear how God is calling you.

Read

I Thessalonians 4: 9-12

Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Reflect

The world loves a leader. We admire those who motivate large crowds. We look to sport leaders to tell us what shoes to wear or what soda to drink. It means something to have 1000 Instagram or Twitter followers. The world loves a loud and proud leader – someone who is not afraid to tell you what is trending or how you should spend your time and money.

Thessalonians 4 tells us that a quiet life is something to strive for. God calls us to mind our own business and do honest work. A quiet life gives you time to reflection, for study, for basking in God’s presence. That quiet honest presence allows us to show God’s love to others and win the respect of our brothers and sisters in Christ. And just maybe, we find something new and honest that we haven’t found before. Giving our thoughtful moments to God allows us to find ourselves and share that self with the outside world.

Pray

Dearest Quiet Leader,
Help us hold close to peaceful and quiet moments where you choose to reveal yourself. Help us find the quiet in the turmoil, the peace in the drama, and ourselves in the chaos. In your name we pray, Amen.

Go with God!