One Holy Moment

Sheri Wohlfert helps us begin this new year with an important item to add to our list of goals and resolutions. 

Strive for peace with everyone, and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.  (Hebrews 12:14) 

 
I suppose most of us have a list.  Some call it a bucket list; others may call it a list of short- and long-term goals and for others is may simply be a wish list to keep tucked in the drawer or in the back of your mind. Whatever you call it, I have something we should add.  This particular item should not only be added to the long term, someday list but also to the task list we make each day.  It’s so important it just can’t wait another day, and we must get into the practice of giving it specific attention.  What is it, you might be wondering … 

 
What we really need! 

We need to be holy.  Holiness isn’t just something for sweet old ladies or monks and nuns who spend their days in silent contemplative prayer.  Holiness is something for each of us … today … every day.  It’s something to become and it’s something to talk about. 

I just pulled a Christmas gift from a few years ago off the shelf to give it a new look.  It was a book by Matthew Kelly called The Biggest Lie in the History of Christianity. It’s a great read, easy read, and an important read.  One of the sections that grabbed my attention was the chapter about being holy.  Somewhere pop culture snuck in, and we became afraid to let our desire to be holy show or grow.  

What a holy moment looks like. 

I would like to share one simple and powerful strategy he laid out for each of us that can help us embrace and grow our holy.  He suggests not re-vamping our entire life and running off to a convent or monastery, but rather to have a “Holy Moment” today.  He describes that as a moment when you silently stop and do one thing God is guiding you to do. It might be a moment of silent prayer when you’re prompted to be still.  It might be a simple action or reaction that is inspired by God and not by our desires. It’s just a moment when we stop, shut up and let God be in charge of us. It might mean not snapping back or acting with mercy instead of judgment.  It might mean calmly letting someone cut in front of us without getting into a huff; realizing there may be an important reason that driver is in such a hurry. 

Mr. Kelly suggests that if we strive for just one holy moment a day, we may soon discover that we have several — and when we begin to include them in our days, we begin to see God working in our days. Before we know it, there are dozens of holy moments each day, and then change really begins to happen.  Just a moment, that’s how it starts.  That’s how we begin to grow in holiness, and that is exactly what God has planned for us to be. 
 
We are usually on the lookout for big, fancy, and often complicated stuff to make our lives better, but let’s start with the simple fact that being holy should be the number one thing on our to-do list. Let today be the day you strive for your first Holy Moment! 
 

A seed to plant: 

Ask God to lead you to a holy moment today.  Share it with someone and pass on the holy moment challenge.​ 
 
Blessings on your day! 

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