Thinking Your Way To Peace

One of the things that I've been pondering lately is how little time most of us actually spend thinking as opposed to reacting. 

Seriously, when was the last time that you simply paused in the middle of your day and set aside some time to just think?  You probably can't remember doing such a thing, because almost none of us do. 

Truth be told, the idea of sitting back in your desk chair, closing your eyes and just thinking seems a little daft to you, doesn't it? 

We have schedules to keep.

We have deadlines approaching.

We have places to be, and things to do. 

We live under the specter of urgency all of the time, and the notion that we might need to push back against that urgency to collect our thoughts and ponder life, the universe and everything appears to be a colossal waste of time.

But some of the most successful people of our day--people we would assume would be too busy to spend time in reflection--take the time to just sit and think.  

Warren Buffet, CEO of the fourth largest company in the U.S., reportedly spends 80 percent of his working schedule simply thinking and reflecting.  

Bill Gates takes off a week twice a year to spend in deep reflection.  

Linkedin CEO Jeff Weiner devotes two hours every day to thinking.  

Tim Armstrong, the CEO of AOL requires his staff to spend 10 percent of their week (4 hours) simply doing nothing but thinking. 

Brian Scudamore, CEO of O2E sets aside most of his work day on Mondays to thinking.  

I know what you're saying, "Easy for them to do that!  They're rich!"  But they're also extraordinarily busy people, who could easily find themselves caught up in the tyranny of the urgent.  

For those of us who call ourselves Christians, there's plenty of direction for us in Scripture on this topic.  The Bible, as it turns out, has a lot to say about the necessity of taking time to think or meditate.  Here are just a few examples from the Psalms: 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  - Psalm 19:14

May my meditation be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord. - Psalm 104:34

Be still, and know that I am God... - Psalm 46:10

And then there's this wonderful jewel from the New Testament and the writings of the Apostle Paul: 

Finally, sisters and brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. - Philippians 4:8.  

Practice taking the time to pause and reflect in the midst of your busy-ness today.  Set aside some time to think about your day, your week.  Avoid distractions and ask God to clear your thoughts and align them with God's own.  

Be still.  Think.  Meditate.  Know that God is God and you are not.  Breathe.  

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.