Like Jacob… we can take the time to re-frame our days. Just has he stopped before moving into Egypt to honor God and offer himself to God, we too can take time to do that.
There are many ways to frame our days that have been passed down throughout the history of Christianity. Morning and Evening prayers, the Examen, the Daily Office, the practice of centering prayer are just a few.
I find it helpful to begin my day with reading scripture and then move into a time of centering prayer. I find that it re-frames my entire day. I tend to see things that happen throughout the day with spirit eyes… which is a good thing. I find that if I begin the day centered in God’s presence I have a much better chance of staying centered!
I was never good at praying out loud for any length of time growing up. Learning to stop talking and start listening has made my prayer life much more enjoyable and fruitful. It is amazing how much God will speak to us if we give him the opportunity… I am not referring to a 2 minute listening time… I would describe it as 30 minutes or more of listening. It takes so long for me to quiet down and get in touch with the presence of God.
But this takes planning and effort on my part. I set my alarm early so I have plenty of time to bathe in God’s presence… this means I have to go to bed early… which, by the way, is a stretch for me being the night owl that I am! I often find myself telling God as I fall asleep that I am looking forward to our time together. When I do that, I feel genuine anticipation for what God has for me the next day.
I have found in my own spiritual journey that if I am not intentional about framing my days in the presence of God that someone else or something else will be! How do you frame your days?