“But godliness with contentment is great gain”. 1 Timothy 6:6

When everything goes quiet I begin to hear my thoughts and heart a lot louder. Who I am becomes very clear. The rev meter slows and my true heart condition shows :)

At the core of who I am…Am I happy? Am I content with my life? Or am I sad? Are there frustrations lurking there? Is there grief I've not dealt with? Is there anger in my heart toward others?

How do you know? Because as you step aside from the continual distractions of a busy life, you begin to once again hear those thoughts that are merely echoing inside you. Thoughts of anger. Thoughts of insecurity. Thoughts of sadness. Or thoughts of joy.

If our life is a never ending ferris wheel and repetition of: find goal, work towards goal, achieve goal and repeat that 100 times…when do we stop so that we can simply listen and be?

I've done that recently. I've slowed everything down. I've switched off my devices and disconnected from the never ending social media storm…and I'm loving it!! :)…this frees my brain from overload and gives me better quality time to connect with those I actually want to connect with!!

It's also given me space to be able to reconnect with me.

Drawing away from busyness for a season is almost like coming off a drug (I've not personally done drugs but sugar is pretty addictive lol!!)…I need to remind my brain that busyness is not happiness.

Sometimes in the quiet I would notice this discontent or depression try and come over me. Even though there was nothing to be discontent or depressed about! I would even begin to take those feelings on and act them out. Hang on a second! That’s not who I am.

The truth is I don't need busyness or the lure of a goal almost fulfilled to keep me happy. I don't need to be “doing” to give myself validity. I don’t need to be continually on the go afraid I’ll miss out or get passed by.

People can associate quiet with letting go and even see it negatively. It’s laziness or someone that’s not motivated.

In certain cultural circles your doing proves your loyalty, which earns you a place, which you can only keep if you continue to do. That’s great if that’s what you are happy doing but if you’re doing all that to just be loved and accepted in the first place then that really sucks for you :)

It’s interesting what quiet reveals. It reveals who you are and it reveals who the people are around you.

Are you happy? Do you have what you need in your life? If not, work towards changing that. Identify your needs and find healthy ways to meet them.

Are the people around you transactional or relational?

I need the service station lady to be transactional, because I want to be able to pay for my petrol every time I fill up. I don’t want the people I call friends to be transactional…because they’ll only be there for me if I’m giving them what they want.

How can you tell the difference?

Transactional relationships is about providing a service. Once the service stops the relationship stops.

Relational relationships are just that. Two people relating. They’re there for the long haul just because they like who you are.

It would be weird if the service station lady expected me to be her best bud when I just want to pay my bill…and it wouldn’t be healthy if the people I call “friends” are really just only my friends because of what I can give them.

We need transactional and relational relationships but in our world that is constantly veering more and more towards the transactional…you have to fight to carve out a bit of meaningful space and real friendships in your life.

So get comfortable in your own skin and sow into real relationships.

The culture you create is the culture you’ll perpetuate.

Ahhhh…..quiet! :)

Rach xx

“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.” James 4:8a

“Be still, and know that I am God…" Psalm 46:10a

"But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." 1 Peter 3:4 "And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice." 1 Kings 19:12