Can you remember your New Year’s resolution if you made one? If you are like me, probably not. That’s possibly because I am not sure that New Year is an especially good time to make such choices, coming in the midst of so much activity with often little time to pause and reflect. Such resolutions, while well intended, are often short term, ill thought through and unrealistic, if not simply impossible. I am not going to feel guilty therefore for not even remembering them!
I am much more grateful for the gift of these coming weeks when the schools are on holiday, when, whether we are going away or staying at home there is a sense of living life with a slightly different rhythm, a little slower, with a little more space. And within this space lies the opportunity for more considered reflection on the way in which we are living, on our priorities, hopes, dreams and aspirations, an opportunity perhaps to reset and then maybe come the end of August or early September to make some more considered, better informed resolutions for the coming months.
I wonder if for you, part of that process might be to spend a little time exploring what opportunities there are to grow in your faith and discipleship? To ask how, if Jesus offers life in all its fullness, might I explore my faith and my walk with God a little deeper. Some of this we can do alone, with a book, maybe a commitment to some time each day in prayer, but I find some of my best resolutions are ones that can be shared with others, not least as it helps keep me accountable.
With that in mind, one thing you might like to look at over these coming months is the range of opportunities on offer from our own Department of Mission and Ministry. You could spend some time exploring Luke’s Gospel, which we shall be hearing at communion next year, maybe take part in our ‘Called to live’ course beginning at the end of September, or join others wanting an ‘Introduction to the Bible’. Details of all that is on offer can be found here. Do remember to check back on a regular basis to see what has been added over the coming weeks and then chose maybe just one thing that you can commit to, that, unlike that forgotten new year resolution, you will remember and that will make a difference to your faith and to the way you live.
Isaiah writes (30:15) ‘in returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength’ and my prayer is that these coming weeks may be a blessing to you, not least as you ponder and prepare for what God has in store for these coming months,
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Finding time to sit quietly and reflect is such a good way of growing closer to God
I am reading a book called “Practical Praying.” I read a chapter today that concentrated on silent prayer. The suggestion they made, was that we should not try too hard for silence to be a royal come, but just to relax and try and empty words from our minds. This is beginning to work, but I have a long way to go. May we a!l grow closer to our Holy Father day by day.
Finding time to sit quietly and reflect is such a good way of growing closer to God
I am reading a book called “Practical Praying.” I read a chapter today that concentrated on silent prayer. The suggestion they made was ,,that we should not try too hard for silence to come, but just to relax and try and empty words from our minds. Thisn is beginning to work, but I have a long way to go. May we a!l grow closer to our Holy Father day by day.
Finding time to sit quietly and reflect is such a good way of growing closer to God
I am reading a book called “Practical Praying.” I read a chapter today that concentrated on silent prayer. The suggestion they made was that we should not try too hard for silence to com e, but just to relax and try and empty words from our minds. This is beginning to work, but I have a long way to go. May we a!l grow closer to our Holy Father day by day.
I’m very happy for you, Bishop Robert, that you find the summer holidays *less* frenetic physically and/or mentally!
However, I suspect that this idea would raise a rather hollow laugh from many parents of school-age children, who will now be juggling work commitments with the need to get children to and from activities/child care etc at times when the kids would normally be at school (and the parent at work), as well as the headache of added costs to budget for.
Dear Bishop Robert,
I much appreciated your message of 23rd July.
Linda and I were able to spend last weekend in rural Herefordshire where the pace of life is certainly much
slower.On the Sunday morning we attended a service of HC at Craswall.a small church this slide of the Welsh border.Here the new Churchwardens have made a huge difference to congregation numbers and the liturgy has
a strong Celtic flavour with a short conducted meditation instead of formal prayers.
We came home feeling refreshed and with our faith
deepened which has helped us cope with a rather
bumpy ride in recent months.
Renewed thanks and prayers.