Practical QTSample

 #18 Go to nature when you get stuck

(Many scholars agree that Psalms 42 and 43 were originally written as a single Psalm.)

Sometimes I get stuck in a rut.  Sometimes I find that keeping QTs going is hard.  There are times of tiredness, disappointment, dryness and brokenness that tempt me to break the important habit of spending time with God.

The Psalmist has good advice for those who are taking strain and struggling to connect with God: Expose yourself to creation.

Creation points to the Creator.  God isn't in the trees or in the mountain, but they are the works of His hands and the messengers of His glory.

Sometimes I'm like a stuck record/CD and I need a “bump” to get me on track again.  The beauty, orderliness, majesty and “bigness” of creation kicks me out of my ruts and nudges me out of my grooves.

I have found that I don't need to go to the sea or the mountains.  Just stepping out into the garden early in the morning or late in the afternoon helps a lot!  A bike ride that takes me out of the suburbs and into the open areas clears my head and my heart.

The psalmist is inspired by the Jordan valley, Mount Hermon and Mizar, the rivers and the ocean.  They are signposts that communicate God's love, God's presence, and our need of Him.

Sometimes the best way to deal with spiritual “stuck-ness” is to take a walk...