Thursday, January 08, 2009

Exploring Personal Rhythms

In a world enchanted by facile slogans and fast food appetites, we are in need of something sacred .

In a time of exponential hurriedness, we are in need of a new sense of rhythm .

In our journey to explore human transformation and spiritual practices that will help us to engage God, expand our everyday lives and master the art of living in slow motion, we will need to be intentional about our life rhythms.

As mentioned in the previous post, several times a year I get away by myself. One of things I do during this time is look at what my life rhythms have looked like over the past several months. The things I've been learning. The places I've been exerting effort, energy and creativity. I reflect on what my thoughts and emotions and perspective on life, family, ministry, etc have been.

I look back in my journal to the things I captured during my last time away. I look back at the things I felt at that time God was directing me into or saying to me regarding the upcoming season. I then reflect how those 'things' played out. How have I engaged the things I sensed Him directing me in? What have my personal practices, disciplines and rhythms looked like?

Additionally, the majority of this time is spent listening, waiting, sensing and capturing what God is saying to me in retrospect of the past, the present and the emerging future.

I jot down
the things I sense He's leading me into, bringing before me, desiring to teach and form within me. I also begin to sketch out what patterns and practices will be vital to my personal rhythm of life. These times are insightful, informative, directive and strengthening...

Exploring Personal Rhythms is a tool that can be used as a means of reflection and awareness into our current patterns and practices. This can be pretty beneficial in beginning to reflect and converse with God regarding the season in your journey.

2 comments:

Soul Tracker said...

Man, wrote about something akin to this on my own blog. In fact, I'm thinking of implementing this "nepsis" idea in a more intentional and disciplined way.

a.rogers said...

Thanks for including the rhythms sheet...I was meaning to ask you to email it to me but i was able to copy and paste from this.
thanks