“He Meets Me in Those Quiet Places”

Whatever prayer, whatever plea is made by any man or by all your people Israel, each knowing his own affliction and his own sorrow and stretching out his hands toward this house, then hear from heaven your dwelling place and forgive and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways, for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of mankind, that they may fear you and walk in your ways all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our fathers. 2 Chronicles 6:29-31 ESV

It is in this quiet space that I continue to circle back to what GOD’s Word says about what to do with what is heavy on my heart — sometimes it’s just down right messy! Can I please get an ‘Amen,’ here?

The Lord GOD is a BIG GOD — He can handle all my complaints, sorrows, disappointments, anxieties, hopes, dreams, questions, anger, frustrations — ALL of that. And He promises to continue loving me just the same. It’s in this place where no one else is permitted that I grant Him access to my heart and soul and just lay it all out there. GOD meets me there and we engage in the most intimate conversations there.

I’m sure you’ve gone there, too, Sister — face in the carpet, knees to the floor, head on the lap. Tissues scattered around, journal pages filled to overflowing with ink that drips off the pages trailing with pain and angst. Familiar scene? It’s okay … I have a feeling that GOD knows the scene all too well. But it’s the place where He’s most invited into … and it’s sacred.

• What does your quiet prayer place look like?
• How often do you visit this sacred place?
• Is the carpet and furniture worn with impressions of your long and faithful appointments with your Heavenly Father?
• Write out a brief description of your Prayer Place and why you selected it.

Whatever is shared there stays there between me and my Savior. I know that He’s already been to the ‘end of my road’ concerning the situations I bring to Him — He has seen the outcome and has orchestrated that all things will work out for my good. My conversations usually convey my lack of understanding the process. And if I’m totally honest, there’s a lot of asking GOD if there could be another way to ‘get there’ from here. And while I know He has the ‘end’ worked out for me because He has such a deep love for me, it’s my human ‘end of my rope’ emotions that tend to cloud the fact that I will survive and come out victorious if I just trust.

So now we come freely and boldly to where love is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness. Hebrews 4:16 TPT

I wrestle with all the same things that you do, Sister. Just as our Scripture verse here in Hebrews conveys, that grace we urgently need … the strength in our time of weakness. That speaks volumes to my soul — because I know how I can be when things feel like they’re out of control. And I will admit here (just between me and you) that I’m not always the patient one who is serenely waiting upon the Lord. I can be just as feisty and crazed as anyone else. But this I have learned: that in the quiet places, He invites me in to let Him hear what is on my heart.

To come freely and boldly used to scare me — I thought I was somehow misunderstanding that puny me couldn’t possibly have access to GOD Almighty. My prayers from decades behind me used to sound something like, “And GOD, if you’re not too busy with world peace and the homeless and starving … when You’re not having to put an end to those wars between those countries … after You’ve found a home for the last orphan … do You think You can spare a moment to consider my need?” But our verse here in Hebrews says exactly that! Freely and boldly — such empowering words for someone doesn’t think much of herself outside of the love of GOD. And yet the privilege is all mine because I am His. And if you are His Daughter, Girlfriend, you have this, too. Because you are His. Doesn’t that just settle your soul?

I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! Isaiah 65:24. NLT

Does this Verse comfort you, Sister? Sometimes I struggle getting the words out — the words that I want GOD to hear from my heart, the way I want to express them. This verse in the Book of Isaiah reminds us that while our brains are trying to catch up with our spirit, GOD has already taken care of our needs. But that should never negate the necessity to commune with Him.

Relationships depend on the ongoing communication — dialogue of exchange — between two persons.

I have to confess, when it comes to conversations, I have a pet peeve about people who walk away in mid-sentence — my mid-sentence. Having been taught the importance of giving respect to the other person, I believe that it’s plain rude to walk away (and please don’t show your backside) while someone is actively speaking with you.

All too often when the other person walks away and casually says, “Oh, keep talking … I’m still listening …” I simply shut down. Anyone else? I literally shut down, mouth closed and heart now disengaged. It’s like the old fashioned glass bank windows that the tellers used to close when they indicated they were going to lunch or taking a break. When the signals are blaring that someone is now physically disconnected, it’s difficult for me to continue at the same intensity with the equal level of emotion. So when I get the response, “Why’d you stop talking?” I can’t for the life of me understand why the other person is apparently clueless.

But GOD …

Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Isaiah 43:4 ESV

He swings wide open the sanctuary to my soul and bids me to come and join Him there. I can confess my sins, my deepest dreams and desires and aspirations. Those things that I’m too embarrassed to verbalize to humans because I know they won’t comprehend. And He won’t budge. He won’t walk away. He sits with me. Puts His Arm around my shoulder and lets me lean in to pour it all out. And I can take my time.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 NIV

Sometimes, I just don’t know where to begin or how to sort it all out in an orderly manner. And for someone like me who loves order and purpose to that order it’s crazy. Now, you top that off with the way I want to lace those words — and it’s an internal disaster. There have been days where, for the lack of finding the words to come forward, I’ve just lifted my arms and gazed on the ceiling of my sacred place. I think of Hannah, who had gone to the Temple to pray.

While she continued praying in the Lord’s presence, Eli watched her mouth. Hannah was praying silently, and though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli thought she was drunk 1 Samuel 1:12-13 CSB

Hannah was worshipping her Lord and communing with Him from the deepest parts of her soul. Because she had the confidence to know He was listening. I love what follows:

“No, my lord,” Hannah replied. “I am a woman with a broken heart. I haven’t had any wine or beer; I’ve been pouring out my heart before the Lord.  1 Samuel 1:15. CSB

She was pouring her heart before the Lord. There she was. Here we are. Is your heart broken, Sister? Is it in need of healing?

• Write out in your journal exactly what you want to say to your Heavenly Father. No need to grammatically punctuate it. Don’t worry about spelling or messy handwriting. Just go for it.

It’s here, Sister, in this quiet and obscure place that we have our best of conversations with the One Who can do something about the situations we bring Him. And He has no other things on His Agenda to attend to while He is here with you.

So take your time.

And when you get up to walk back into your day, you can be assured that He will be waiting to meet you back here again tomorrow … and the next day, and the next … and everyday thereafter.

I love you to Heaven and Back, Girlfriend ~~

LindaRJohnson, TitusTwo Visionary