Did I mention that I'm going to try and start and continue to keep a journal? Haha.. well, I suppose this blog is meant to be some sort of a journal.. but I reckon its a little bit too public for some thoughts to be written down..
Recently, I've been reading the book by Gordon McDonald - "Ordering Your Private World". Its a book that highlights the importance of us putting order into our private life, or "inner garden" as Gordon likes to term it. Without this order in our inner garden, we can possibly thrive on short term talents and successes, but the long term effects of stresses is bound to take a toll on us.
He starts the book with an illustration of what he calls the "sinkhole syndrome". Sinkholes occur in the ground when underground streams dry up during a drought, thereby causing the surface ground to lose its underlying support. The surface then sinks in, bringing along people, buildings and anything else that was on it.
Similarly, our lives can end up in a sinkhole. We may find that because we have never learned to build the inner support that we need, we cave in to the pressures of life at some point in time. He suggests that, in order for us to remain standing at those times, we must, at a much earlier stage, been consistently cultivating the inner strength that we need to face those rough times.
Needless to say, the only way we can gain such strength is from a consistent communion with God Himself. As a Christian, one has probably been taught at an early stage of the importance of a daily "quiet time" with God. While to many of us, this has come to mean reading the Bible and praying, Gordon brings much insight when he ask this of a pastor he came in contact with "Are you taking time regularly to order your inner life?"
Had he ask it in a different way, i.e. "How is your quiet time?", the pastor could have answered it quite simply in terms of days, hours, minutes, systems or techniques. But because he used the word "order", it was one of quality, not quantity.
As I cruised along with Gordon in this book, I am drawn and attracted to the type of inner spiritual life that he so emphatically exhorts us to have. To be able to say as E. Stanley Jones did on his deathbed, describing the strength of his spirit "The innermost strands are the strongest. I need no outer props to hold up my faith, for my faith holds me."
Gordon McD suggests 5 issues that we need to look at in our quest of ordering our private world
1. Motivation
2. Use of time
3. Wisdom and knowledge
4. Spiritual strength
5. Restoration
I don't think I have done justice of giving a good review to Gordon McD's book - but nevertheless, I hope you'd get the book and read it for yourself (if you haven't already done so), for its highly recommended to all who wants to take their walk with God seriously.
Ok, so how is all this related to me keeping a journal? Gordon McD suggests that journalling helps one meditate and reflect on what God wants to teach us - through our Bible reading, praying, thinking. It is a discipline that enables one to put down in words one's thoughts, through which God can bring to mind. It enables deep reflection on one's life, which can only be done through silence and solitude.
For the past few years, I've tried journalling for some time (though not consistently). During those times, I did find myself being more in tune with the rumblings of my heart, of the 'little' things that God was doing in my life, of being strengthened with peace from above. Sooo.. fingers crossed that I won't give it up half way again.. here's to a fresh new attempt - this time, with much more discipline and intentionality to Order my Private World! =)
Recently, I've been reading the book by Gordon McDonald - "Ordering Your Private World". Its a book that highlights the importance of us putting order into our private life, or "inner garden" as Gordon likes to term it. Without this order in our inner garden, we can possibly thrive on short term talents and successes, but the long term effects of stresses is bound to take a toll on us.
He starts the book with an illustration of what he calls the "sinkhole syndrome". Sinkholes occur in the ground when underground streams dry up during a drought, thereby causing the surface ground to lose its underlying support. The surface then sinks in, bringing along people, buildings and anything else that was on it.
Similarly, our lives can end up in a sinkhole. We may find that because we have never learned to build the inner support that we need, we cave in to the pressures of life at some point in time. He suggests that, in order for us to remain standing at those times, we must, at a much earlier stage, been consistently cultivating the inner strength that we need to face those rough times.
Needless to say, the only way we can gain such strength is from a consistent communion with God Himself. As a Christian, one has probably been taught at an early stage of the importance of a daily "quiet time" with God. While to many of us, this has come to mean reading the Bible and praying, Gordon brings much insight when he ask this of a pastor he came in contact with "Are you taking time regularly to order your inner life?"
Had he ask it in a different way, i.e. "How is your quiet time?", the pastor could have answered it quite simply in terms of days, hours, minutes, systems or techniques. But because he used the word "order", it was one of quality, not quantity.
As I cruised along with Gordon in this book, I am drawn and attracted to the type of inner spiritual life that he so emphatically exhorts us to have. To be able to say as E. Stanley Jones did on his deathbed, describing the strength of his spirit "The innermost strands are the strongest. I need no outer props to hold up my faith, for my faith holds me."
Gordon McD suggests 5 issues that we need to look at in our quest of ordering our private world
1. Motivation
2. Use of time
3. Wisdom and knowledge
4. Spiritual strength
5. Restoration
I don't think I have done justice of giving a good review to Gordon McD's book - but nevertheless, I hope you'd get the book and read it for yourself (if you haven't already done so), for its highly recommended to all who wants to take their walk with God seriously.
Ok, so how is all this related to me keeping a journal? Gordon McD suggests that journalling helps one meditate and reflect on what God wants to teach us - through our Bible reading, praying, thinking. It is a discipline that enables one to put down in words one's thoughts, through which God can bring to mind. It enables deep reflection on one's life, which can only be done through silence and solitude.
For the past few years, I've tried journalling for some time (though not consistently). During those times, I did find myself being more in tune with the rumblings of my heart, of the 'little' things that God was doing in my life, of being strengthened with peace from above. Sooo.. fingers crossed that I won't give it up half way again.. here's to a fresh new attempt - this time, with much more discipline and intentionality to Order my Private World! =)
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