Solitude, Peacefulness, and All Things Calm

I've been recently contemplating the importance of "quiet time". A time where there are no other distractions, and you can clearly think. This is relevant when considering quiet time with the Lord. How much time, out of our busy days, do we take to think upon the things of God? To think about how gracious and merciful He is to us every day, to think about the principles and commandments that are so clearly laid out in His Word, to think upon His holiness. It goes without saying, that we have quite enough things to fill our day with, as well as our mind. There are meals to be prepared, school to be done, places to go, people to talk to, cleaning to be done, and little ones that need help. In spite of the business of our lives, we must see the value in setting aside time to meditate on God, to pray, and to read the Scriptures. We are to give our heart's affection to Him! During these times of solitude, God can convict us and speak to us through His Word. We have time to examine our heart's motives to see whether they are pure. The specific time of day does not take priority, so much as the fact that we discipline our minds to rest, and think on godliness and all that applies. I find that it is helpful at the beginning of the day, to have my mind set on pure, righteous ,and holy things as I step into the tumult of the demands within the day. With the school year progressing and the holidays soon upon us, we all should keep this in the forefront of our minds. It is a discpline and it's by no means easy, but the benefits exceed the work in every way, fleshed out in how we deal with those around us, from day to day. When we are drowning in the load of each day, when we are tired and unfocused, when we are busying ourselves to the brink, take time to" be still and know that He is God". Soli Deo Gloria, -Ahlaischa