Clear Mind, Peaceful Heart © 2024 Proverbs 31 Ministries All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means— electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other— except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc. Photos by Noelle Glaze, the Jana Bishop Collection, and Shutterstock.com. Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please email SpecialMarkets@ThomasNelson.com. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “niv” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.® Scripture quotations marked amp are from the Amplified Bible ®. Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org Scripture quotations marked ceb are from the Common English Bible. Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible. Scripture quotations marked csb are from the Christian Standard Bible®. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Scripture quotations marked esv are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked mev are from the Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked nkjv are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked nlt are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked rsv are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The definition of dwell, on Day 24, is from the One Look website, https://onelook.com/thesaurus/?s=dwells. Any internet addresses, phone numbers, or company or product information printed in this book are offered as a resource and are not intended in any way to be or to imply an endorsement by Thomas Nelson, nor does Thomas Nelson vouch for the existence, content, or services of these sites, phone numbers, companies, or products beyond the life of this book. ISBN 978-1-4002-4742-4 (audiobook) ISBN 978-1-4002-4740-0 (eBook) ISBN 978-1-4002-4739-4 (HC) Printed in Malaysia 24 25 26 27 28 COS 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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Day 8
What Jesus Can Do with Five Minutes Holly Murray “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” PSALM 46:10 MEV
Get �ome �est. Your eyes look like you’ve been working too hard,” said
the comment on my social media post.
That wasn’t the message I’d hoped to receive in response to the selfie I had posted, but I thought about the week’s schedule. Each day brought news of an obligation I thought only I could fill: “Sure, I have time.” 29
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“I can do that.” “I’d be happy to help.” One by one, my heartfelt responses shrank my calendar’s capacity. The click of the keyboard and scratch of the pen became constant companions. Groceries ordered, a meal hastily thrown together, one last email answered with another swig of coffee as I checked one more box off the list. In this multitasking, work-from-anywhere, high-speed society, taking time to be still seems fruitless. Our hearts swell with accolades for the productivity and skill we bring to the table, but then we wince when we realize we’ve missed another day with Jesus. If right now is the first time you’ve set aside time to spend with God today, don’t be ashamed. He is always ready to meet with us. In fact, our Father calls to us, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 mev). Be still! Cease, relax, withdraw, and let go. The antidote for exhaustion from our overextended calendars isn’t just being still, however, or He would have stopped with that command. We are to know that He is God. He is the Creator of the world, the One who cannot fail, the One who loves us without measure and whose promises are trustworthy. He wants a relationship with us. He already knows every part of us, and His longing is for us to know Him. God wants us to experience who He is and His great love for us. He wants us to know we are worth all the time He spends pursuing us, no matter how many times we push His relentlessness to the side with promises of “Just give me five more minutes. I’m almost done.” Friend, just the sheer fact that you’re reading this devotion right now is proof that you long to connect with your Savior. As we plan our days, let’s 30
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resolve to prioritize time with Jesus. Even if it’s just five minutes. Allow Him to ease every tension and bring you the true rest your soul needs. Relax and know Him. Time with Jesus will be the best-spent minutes of your day.
Father, thank You for Your relentless pursuit of and love for me. Today I choose to cease striving for perfection and let go of self-reliance. I recognize the true gift of time with You and will be intentional about spending my day with You. Forgive me for taking time with You for granted and for being more concerned about people-pleasing and selfpromotion than pleasing and trusting You. As I meditate on the truths of Your Word, I will listen for Your whisper. You created work and rest, and I trust You to help me plan my day to make the most of each moment. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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