Evening Reflection 2 – Think Before You speak, Practicing the Pause

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photo of aurora during evening

Good evening!

As our day draws to a close our journey brings us to a point of reflection and preparation for tomorrow. Perhaps we were successful in practicing the pause. Maybe spoke too much without thinking. Whatever it was, we can take it before God tonight and release it in to His hands.

If you’re just joining me on this journey toward renewing our minds and improving our self-discipline, I invite you to read my article “Morning and Evening: A New Self Discipline Journey” to learn more about why I am doing this, and how this may benefit you as well.

With that said, let’s take this time to reflect on our day.

Breathing Exercise

Before we begin let us take some deep breaths to release stress, calm our minds and prepare us for this evenings reflection. You can take a few moments to breathe on your own or use the following video to guide you through a breathing exercise. This one is similar to the one from our morning discipline, but is self guided.

Music For Reflection

I personally like to have some soft music in the background, so if that’s something you like as well below you will find a song you can play for the duration of our time ttogether.

Prayer of Reflection

Now that we’re calm, and have let the worries of the day go, let us transition into a time of prayer.

Over the next few minutes you can pray on your own or feel free to use the following prayer:

Heavenly Father,

As the day is drawing to its close I ask that Your continued love and presence be with me and with all that are Your children in Christ. Guard us through the long hours of darkness this night I pray, and keep us safe from all harm and dangers that may try to cross our threshold.

Give us I pray, an untroubled night of rest and quietness of heart. May we be refreshed and renewed in body, soul and spirit as we rest our weary hearts in You through the hours of the night.

Lord, I pray that by Your great grace and mercy, You would grant us untroubled sleep so that we may rise up in the morning strong to do Your bidding. May we all rejoice for the dawn of a new day, knowing that Your mercies are new every morning.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Source: Evening Prayers | Prayer for Grace at the End of the Day

Affirmations for Reflection

Affirmations are one way we can speak to our minds and remind ourselves of who we are in God and what He wants to do through us. Sometimes, when we struggle to let go of the days troubles it takes the words of our lips to speak His refreshment to our minds and help us find rest.

Here are a few affirmations for this evening that you can speak over this time of rest.

As you read through them, repeat each one out loud at least three times before moving to the next. Take your time. Close your eyes and say them to yourself as well. Let these words sink into your heart and mind this evening:

  1. God is my strength and shield.
  2. I will have peace in Christ.
  3. I am comforted by God even when I walk through dark valleys.
  4. God will bring healing to my life.

Scriptures for Reflection

As Christians, our affirmations should be rooted in the rest we find in Jesus who reassures us that His burden is light and that we can trade our burden for His.

Here are some scriptures that further support the affirmations we just spoke to ourselves. Again, repeat each one three times out loud before moving to the next one. Take your time. Maybe pick one and try to commit it to memory as well:

  1. Psalm 28:7, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him.”
  2. John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
  3. Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
  4. Jeremiah 33:6, “Behold, I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth.”

An Evening Reflection

This morning’s challenge was to practice the pause (or think before you speak). Let us take some time to reflect on our day and the moments when we needed to pause and seek God’s wisdom for what to do next.

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you reflect. As you ask yourselves these questions and perhaps take the time to write your responses in a journal (or an online journal) so you can revisit them in the days ahead and see your progress and how God is working in your life:

  1. Were there moments I had to pause and seek the wisdom of God today?
    • If so, what did I seek His wisdom for?
  2. Was it easy to stop and think before I spoke?
    • If so, what made it easy?
    • If not, what made it hard?
  3. What were the things I said that I should’ve paused before speaking?
    • What signs can I look for in myself to warn me to pause before speaking?
  4. In what ways did I see God working in my day?

Now, lay all the days events at the feet of Jesus, take a deep breath, and rest in His faithfulness.

Tomorrow is a new day!

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