We all (or at least many of us) have times when reading the Bible doesn't bring us that inspiration it once did. We don't hear G-d speaking to us or leading us.  HE is quiet and we can often mistake that as being a distancing from Him and think that it is our fault.  The follwing is actually a "comment" on a friend's blog (who is feeling that "empty, distancing"), but it turned into a blog of it's own, and being that it's Sabbath, I decided to share it with the rest of you.  May you be well and be blessed.

We're always told to enjoy our "quiet time"...we just think it means that everything else is quiet so we can hear G-d speak or we can speak to HIM. How foolish to think that one of us must always be talking. My husband and I can spend hours alone in the same room, holding hands, reading a book, and never say a word. But, it is still a beautiful time and much is communicated.

Don't panic if you can't hear HIM, sometimes HE's quiet and  doesn't have anything to say. Just because G-d isn't speaking to you, doesn't mean he isn't working. Maybe HE's just baking a loaf of bread with you.

HE aquires all the ingredients (lessons) and puts them together in a bowl (your brain & heart). Then they are mixed together, some extra herbs or spices for a special flavor (more lessons/scripture), more mixing. Then, HE will leave the dough in a quiet, warm place to let it rise. Then you will be beat down & then left to rise again. Finally you will be put it the oven to bake. During the rising and baking, no new ingredients are added & no work is done by the baker to the dough, but the loaf is changing and transforming. Even when it's all done baking, the work isn't don't. The loaf must be broken up and fed to others so that they may be nurished by what HE put into it, otherwise it was a useless work.

Sometimes HE begins to bake a new loaf right away because someone else is hungry and needs fed. Other times HE waits until this loaf is all gone and consumed before he starts to make a new one.

Maybe this is your time to rest, undisturbed in a quiet, warm place and so you can rise. Could it be that you've just been baked and must feed what you've learned to others to nurish them? Or maybe it's a time for you to be fed by the bread of others. Either way, enjoy this "quiet time", it's not always a distancing from G-d. There will be a time for HIM to bake another loaf of you and once againg HE will gather the ingredients and put them into you. They will be mixed together; you will be fed by them -- like the yeast is by the sugar --  and you will rise and expand again.

Don't try to find the ingredients for HIS next loaf, for you have no idea what flavor you will be. But HE does, and HE will gather the ingredients, when HE is ready. Just be still and know that he is G-d.

Shabbat Shalom
Julie

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Posted by FollowingTheAncientPaths

Excellent word picture! Thank you. I've been feeling rather "forgotten" at times lately and your analogy brings tears to my eyes, partly because it is similar to an analogy that DH said to me. I consider this a confirmation of sorts, and I really appreciate it. :)

Blessings!

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Posted by shawtime

I love this. Thanks for sharing!

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Posted by floridasunsets

Thank you for that beautiful analogy. It's true. Why do we think someone always has to be speaking. Comfortable silence is very nice, too.
By the way, have you been in Isaiah lately? I am at chapter 5. Yes, I know, I'm slow. I someitmes have to read things a couple of times. But it has been interesting, as always.
Betty
Psal 46:10

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Posted by floridasunsets

Ready, set.....go! :)

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