How to live a slow and quiet life
Summary
TLDRThe video discusses the biblical concept of living a slow and quiet life in a fast-paced, attention-seeking culture. It references 1 Thessalonians 4:11, encouraging believers to focus on private devotion rather than public displays of faith. The speaker highlights that true Christian life is about heart posture and seeking God in secret, not through outward actions or social media influence. Examples from Jesus's life show how he avoided the crowds and focused on intimacy with God. The video encourages listeners to pursue a life that pleases God alone, resting in his guidance and grace.
Takeaways
- 📖 The Bible encourages living a quiet and slow life, as shown in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, which emphasizes working with your hands and minding your own business.
- 🙏 Jesus didn't begin His public ministry until He was 30, spending time in obscurity, working with His hands and being faithful in private life.
- 📱 The first thing you reach for in the morning reflects what has your identity and focus, and often social media can take that place.
- 💼 If Satan can't make you sin, he will try to make you busy because what has your focus has your heart.
- 🛠️ Many aspire to be Christian influencers or speakers, but the script emphasizes the importance of being nameless servants behind the scenes, reflecting Christ through actions more than words.
- 💡 The motivation behind actions should be examined—doing good for public attention loses the reward from God, as shown in Matthew 6.
- 🚪 Private worship and prayer are crucial. Jesus teaches that what you do in secret, like praying and giving, is seen by God and will be rewarded.
- 🌊 Like Peter walking on water, we experience miracles when our eyes are fixed on Jesus, but lose focus when distracted by circumstances.
- 🛡️ Jesus is our Shepherd, protecting and guiding us. Psalm 23 is a reminder that we lack nothing because He leads us and renews our strength.
- 🏆 Living for an audience of one, Jesus, brings true fulfillment. Fame, likes, and social media affirmation cannot provide lasting satisfaction.
Q & A
What does the Bible say about living a quiet and slow life?
-The Bible encourages living a quiet life, as seen in 1 Thessalonians 4:11, which says to 'make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands.' This reflects a lifestyle of humility and simplicity, not seeking attention or validation from others.
How can living in today's busy and fast-paced society conflict with a quiet life?
-Today's culture is focused on speed, constant activity, and public attention, especially through social media. This contrasts with the Bible's encouragement to live quietly, focusing on personal growth and not seeking external validation.
Why does the speaker mention the importance of what you reach for first in the morning?
-The speaker emphasizes that what you first reach for in the morning often reveals where your focus and identity lie. For many, it’s their phone and social media, suggesting they find their worth in external validation rather than in God.
What example from Jesus’ life shows the value of living a quiet and simple life?
-Jesus lived quietly for 30 years before beginning his public ministry. He worked with his hands and followed God's commands without seeking public attention, teaching us the power of humility and patience.
How does Matthew 6 guide Christians in practicing good deeds?
-Matthew 6 teaches that good deeds should be done in private, not for public recognition. It warns against seeking approval from others, as those who do good deeds publicly for attention have already received their reward.
What is the significance of Jesus withdrawing from crowds in His ministry?
-Jesus often withdrew from crowds to seek solitude and connect with God. This highlights the importance of private time with God, even in ministry, rather than being consumed by public attention.
Why does the speaker emphasize the difference between Christian influencers and Christian examples?
-The speaker believes that there’s too much focus on becoming famous Christian influencers. Instead, he encourages living as Christian examples, focusing on obedience and service behind the scenes, which is more in line with biblical teachings.
How does Peter's experience walking on water relate to maintaining focus on Jesus?
-Peter could walk on water as long as his focus remained on Jesus, but he began to sink when he looked at the storm around him. This demonstrates the power of keeping our focus on God rather than our circumstances.
What is the role of 'the secret place' in a Christian's life, according to the speaker?
-The 'secret place' refers to private moments of prayer and connection with God. The speaker stresses that a person's true relationship with God is reflected in what they do in secret, not what is seen publicly.
What practical advice does the speaker give for living a quiet life in today's busy world?
-The speaker advises retreating with God daily, focusing on reading Scripture like Psalm 23, and doing good deeds quietly. He emphasizes the importance of living for an audience of one—God—rather than for public approval or social media validation.
Outlines
💭 Living a Quiet Life in a Busy World
This paragraph reflects on the challenges of living a slow and quiet life in a fast-paced, busy culture. The speaker, having recently moved to LA, emphasizes how society today is focused on productivity and visibility. The Bible, particularly 1 Thessalonians 4:11, advises believers to aim for a quiet life, mind their own business, and work with their hands. The speaker highlights that what you prioritize first in the morning often reflects what holds your identity and focus. The discussion emphasizes the dangers of busyness, which can distract from a relationship with God, even when not involved in sinful activities.
📖 Jesus as the Example of a Quiet Life
This section explores how Jesus lived quietly before starting His ministry at age 30. He worked with His hands and was not widely known, demonstrating the value of humble, private service over public recognition. The speaker contrasts the modern Christian desire for visibility and influence with the biblical model of living as a 'nameless' servant. Jesus warns against performing good deeds publicly for recognition (Matthew 6), emphasizing that the Father rewards private acts of charity. The speaker notes a personal struggle with posting content for attention and explains that true service flows from a heart focused on God, not self-promotion.
🙏 The Power of Private Prayer and Sincerity
This paragraph discusses the importance of private prayer and sincerity, citing Jesus' teachings in Matthew 6. The speaker highlights that many people, including some famous preachers, may perform religious acts for public recognition rather than from a pure heart. Jesus teaches that God sees what is done in secret and will reward those who seek Him sincerely. The speaker challenges the listener to examine their own motivations for religious acts, pointing out that God desires authenticity over public displays of piety. A call to establish a personal, private relationship with God is emphasized, with a suggestion to watch the movie *War Room* for inspiration.
🤲 Seeking God in the Secret Place
In this paragraph, the speaker urges believers to cultivate a deep, personal relationship with God in the 'secret place'—the private, intimate times of prayer. Reflecting on the story of Peter walking on water, the speaker illustrates how keeping our eyes on Jesus allows us to experience miracles, while focusing on worldly distractions leads to sinking in despair. However, Jesus is always ready to rescue those who reach out to Him. The speaker encourages listeners to prioritize time with God over public ministry and to trust that God will reveal His secrets to those who seek Him earnestly.
📖 Psalm 23 and Finding Rest in God
This section focuses on Psalm 23, where the speaker emphasizes the imagery of God as a shepherd who provides rest and peace. The analogy of a shepherd protecting and guiding sheep is used to illustrate God’s care for His people. The speaker notes that while people may resist rest, God knows our limits and provides what we need for restoration. The Shepherd's tools, the rod and staff, are symbols of both protection and guidance. The speaker reassures listeners that God walks with them through dark times and renews their strength. This intimate relationship with God is seen as a source of comfort and strength in life's challenges.
🛡️ God’s Protection Against Lies and Struggles
This paragraph talks about how God protects believers from the lies of Satan, using the metaphor of shepherds anointing sheep's heads with oil to protect them from pests. Just as sheep are protected from harmful insects, believers are protected from the damaging lies of the enemy through God's anointing. The speaker relates this protection to mental and spiritual attacks, encouraging listeners to stand firm in the truth of God's Word. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of believing and declaring the promises of God over one's life and trusting in His care during difficult times.
🌟 Living for God, Not for Platforms
The final section emphasizes the importance of living for an audience of one—God—rather than seeking affirmation from others. The speaker warns against the temptation to live for the approval of social media followers or public platforms, comparing such behavior to the Pharisees' pursuit of recognition. Instead, believers are called to pursue a quiet, humble life that pleases God. The speaker concludes with a prayer for peace and freedom from the pressures of busyness and performance, encouraging listeners to embrace a slower, Christ-centered life focused on serving Jesus.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Quiet Life
💡Busy Culture
💡Social Media
💡Heart Posture
💡Secret Place
💡Christian Influence
💡Public vs Private Worship
💡Living for an Audience of One
💡Rest and Retreat
💡Matthew 6
Highlights
Living a slow and quiet life contrasts sharply with the busyness and noise of today's culture, especially in cities like Los Angeles.
If Satan cannot make you sin, he will make you busy, as what has your focus has your heart.
The first thing you reach for in the morning likely reveals where your identity and focus are rooted.
1 Thessalonians 4:11 teaches that we should make it our goal to live a quiet life, minding our own business, and working with our hands.
Jesus himself lived a largely unknown life until he started his public ministry at age 30, emphasizing the value of quiet obedience.
Matthew 6 teaches that we should do good deeds in private, not for public recognition, because God sees what is done in secret.
Instead of seeking to be Christian influencers, we need more Christians leading by quiet example.
We should strive to serve without seeking recognition, mirroring Jesus, who often withdrew from crowds.
God is more interested in our heart posture than our public actions; what we do in secret matters most.
Jesus withdrew from crowds and spent time alone with God, showing us the importance of personal, private devotion.
Living for public affirmation and recognition limits the reward to only what people can give; true reward comes from God.
Psalm 23 highlights God as our Shepherd, emphasizing that we lack nothing when we are led and protected by Him.
The secret place is about developing a private, intimate relationship with God, which then overflows into our public life.
Jesus is the only true reward that can fulfill us; seeking affirmation from others leads to emptiness.
Practical ways to live a quiet life include prioritizing personal time with God over public actions and letting Jesus be enough.
Transcripts
what does the Bible say about living a
slow and quiet life we live in a culture
today where everything is so busy so
loud and always posted you know for
other people to see and all these things
I just moved to LA in California so it's
like the complete opposite of living a
slow and quiet life I mean here the the
society today is just so so Swift and
fast and they're always doing stuff and
you know what's the next event what's
the next thing and nothing's ever good
enough and what I've learned learned is
that if Satan cannot get you to sin
he'll get you to be busy because what
has your focus has your heart and I'll
tell you this what you first think about
when you wake up in the morning what you
first reach for is probably what has
your identity what has your focus and
the thing is they don't even have to be
necessarily what someone would say a sin
as in like oh well you're not smoking
you're not drinking sleeping around it's
just my
phone I'm just waking up I'm getting on
social media checking my phone probably
because that's where you're going to
finding your worth the rest of the day
the first thing that you reach for in
the morning is probably you know where
you find your identity and where you're
going to find your worth worth in the
rest of the morning so what does the
Bible talk about living a quiet life
what does the Bible talk about living a
slow life how can we even do that in
today's culture and Society the best
scripture to use when talking about this
is 1 Thessalonians 4:11 and it says make
it your goal to live a quiet life
minding your own business and working
with your hands just as we instructed
you before then people who are not beli
Bel will respect you in the way you live
and you will not need to depend on
others why does Jesus say make it your
goal to live a quiet life well if we
look at you know just Jesus's Ministry
while he was here on Earth he did not
start his ministry until he was 30 years
old no one has any clue what Jesus was
doing those 30 years nobody really knew
him he was from the ghetto all he did
was he worked with his
hands followed Jesus obeyed his commands
and we do know that he did you know ask
questions in the synagogue and you know
he would uh you know teach a little bit
of the word but like not actually start
his public Ministry so I think there's a
power in our generation we have this
drive to you know tell the whole world
about Jesus and I want to be a Christian
influencer and a Christian speaker and
all this but I think we need less
Christian speakers and more Christian
examples so if we'd quit focusing our
mind on you know wanting to be the next
Billy Graham but we should start
striving to be the one who's nameless
that no one actually knows about and
they're serving behind the scenes that
nobody can see Matthew 6 says watch out
don't do your good deeds publicly to be
admired by others for you will lose the
reward from your father in Heaven when
you give to someone in need don't do as
the Hypocrites do blowing their trumpets
in the synagogues and streets to call
attention to their acts of Charity I
tell you the truth they have received
all the reward they'll ever get but when
you give to someone in need don't let
your left hand know what your right hand
is doing give your gifts in private and
your father who sees everything will
reward
you I think it's a heart check because
the word of God says that he looks at
the heart so it's like what is the heart
posture and why we're doing these things
cuz you're like Karu you're literally a
Christian influencer and you post all
these things about Jesus so it's like
are you not doing the same thing Jesus
looks at the heart has there been times
many times where I've posted and my
heart parure is I know this video will
do well yeah there is and is the Lord
changing it now to where it's like I'm
going to get on and post this video
because I a servant I once heard this
one Pastor you know get questioned and
they were like yo do you feel nervous
like before you speak like on stage and
he was like honestly no and he was like
I felt a little prideful for saying that
but the reason he said no was because he
would feel nervous if he was going to
get on stage to go and perform but you
don't get nervous whenever you get on
stage and realize you're going to serve
other people when you're already doing
these things behind the scenes there's
no performance it's just from overflow
it's who you actually are so the Lord's
been just changing me and changing my
mindset of being like K I've allowed you
to shepher 8 million plus people online
are you going to walk in Disobedience
and only post the things that you know
will do well or are you going to post
things that are actually going to
sharpen my children because Jesus loves
you so much friend so contining on
Matthew 65 When you pray don't be like
the Hypocrites who love to pray publicly
on street corners and in the synagogues
where everyone can see them I tell you
the truth that is all the reward they'll
ever get but when you pray go away by
yourself shut the door behind you and
pray to your father in private then your
father who sees everything will reward
you
you know how many of us be pulling up to
church and pulling up to Bible study and
all these things and we feel so on fire
for the spirit and we're you know
lifting our hands and we're praying out
loud and all these things do you not
realize that the same God you know who
is dwelling um at church and you know at
Bible study and even on this podcast and
all these things he sees what you do in
secret everyone has a secret place
that's why this podcast is called the
secret place because I believe
everything that you do in life flows
from the secret place so it's like what
you're doing in private and secret is
actually who you you are not what you're
doing online there's some very famous
speakers and preachers and teachers and
all these things of the word of God and
their heart posture is not pure their
heart is only about themselves so
therefore Jesus Will judge them for what
their heart posture actually is not the
actions that they are
doing so when you go to church and
you're lifting your hands and all these
things but you don't even do that in
private friend Jesus wants you he wants
your heart he's telling you that if if
you're living for the affirmations of
man if you're living for the likes on
social media the views and the followers
that's the only reward you'll ever get
something crazy about Jesus is he
usually always gives us what we want not
always in the same form of oh I want a
new car God I want this or like you know
not always but in the sense of God I I
just want to be affirmed by other people
he said okay fine find your worth in
them see how how that leaves you
feeling he's a gentleman he's not just
going to barge in and make you do things
and make you because love is a
choice When you pray don't be like the
hypocrites who love to pray publicly
they love to do it publicly but they
don't love to do it
privately on street corners and in the
synagogues where everyone can see them
they're not doing it to exalt the
platform of God they're doing it to
exalt their own platform I tell you the
truth that is all the reward you'll ever
get but when you pray go away by
yourself shut the door behind you
there's a reason it's called the secret
place because there's secrets that's
being shared between you and God and I
just want to challenge you friend as you
get off this this pot episode when
you're done go to your room make a
prayer closet watch the movie War Room
it's so so good I watched it yesterday
holy spirit's in that so
hard go to your room shut the door
behind you and ask the Lord to reveal
his secrets to you God would you just
show me pieces of your heart that you've
never shown anybody else would you show
me pieces of your heart that I've never
experienced will you show me who you are
deeper Jesus he sees your heart and the
thing is when you're hungry for him he
will feed
you he prepared is a feast in the
presence of your enemy friend but the
thing is you're not going to be able to
eat this is the bread of life you're not
going to eat if you don't have an
appetite for it so I just challenge you
and I just pray over you that you would
have an appetite so this is what the
word of God says about living just um a
quiet life and also one that is slow so
it's saying like if we would do all the
things and focus on doing these things
not to be seen by other people then
Jesus is going to reward us Jesus
himself said this whenever he started
his public Ministry you know I mean he's
the most famous person on the world it
don't matter if you have 100 million
followers he has like two or three
billion I think of the population on
everyone like so many people know the
name of Jesus but yet as he was going
you know to preach and teach he actually
ran away from crowds so the disconnect
you know in today's society is that when
we start to build a following we start
to see crowds around us we run to it
because we want that to feed our ego but
Jesus himself was mirroring how we
should be practicing in Ministry in our
Christian lives is running away from the
crowds and if Jesus himself had to wake
up in the morning to seek the face of
Jesus and withdrew because people got
too much and he needed aone time with
this father how much more are we going
to need that Jesus himself the Son of
God what he was doing is he was showing
us uh the environment that we are
created to live in and it's great that
we're going to Bible study and you know
worship nights and church and all these
things it's so great to you know get
poured into and get fed but that those
things should be feeding your
relationship
so after church that should actually
start steering your focus to Jesus not
your focus to the church because that
just comes when your focus is on Jesus
we look in the the scripture whenever
the the Lord starts walking on the water
after he withdrew and the disciples are
sailing and Peter says God if it's
really you would you tell me to get out
of this boat and I'll walk on water as
Peter is looking at at Jesus walk um
across the water he starts walking and
miracles start happening and it just so
crazy a human is walking on water
because he's looking at God and has
Faith but the next thing you know is as
soon as he looks at the things around
him the storms around him his
circumstances he
sinks so the Lord is showing that as
soon as our eyes are fixed on him
there's Secrets there's Miracles that we
could never even imagine that could
happen but the thing is when we take our
eyes off of Christ and onto you know the
things that are around us we will always
sink but the thing is whenever he sunk
Jesus didn't let him sink but he put his
arm down in the water and pulled him
back up but Peter had to be willing to
grab Jesus's hand to be pulled back up
friend we're going to make mistakes
there's times our focuses are going to
be shifted and naturally just fleshly
how we were created we just want to
think about ourselves that's how Satan
fell Satan fell because he wanted to be
like God e fell because she wanted to be
like God that's just how we are but the
thing is we are not made to Bear the
glory that God has we must be reflectors
of Glory not um receivers because when
we try to um we the crown that only
Christ was created for it's going to
crush us every single time friend so
practical ways of living a quiet life is
waking up and getting in your word and
retreating with God retreat with him and
sit with him and read scripture over you
Psalm 23 is something I've been just
been reading the Lord is my shepherd I
lack
nothing
pause my shepherd that shows ownership
he is my shepherd
mine he is your you have a shepherd and
what is a Shepherd someone who leads you
who protects you and because you have a
Shepherd you lack nothing but if you
just read that that scripture without
reading the first thing I lack nothing
no the reason you lack nothing is
because you have him I'm actually going
to flip to that scripture because I feel
the Lord is wanting to speak that over
to someone today who is just you know
feels alone who feels like they're
struggling who feels like um they're
they're doing this whole life thing solo
it says he makes me rest in Green
Meadows and he leads me beside peaceful
streams it's funny that we always want
to you know say that we need rest until
somebody tells us to it's like I need to
relax I need to relax but when someone
says you need to relax you immediately
get mad you get angry but the reason
that Jesus makes us rest in Green
Meadows and lead us beside peaceful
streams is because he knows how much we
can handle he created us we are the
Sheep he is our shepherd He knows the
things about us that you know no one
else knows it's the same way like with a
a kid and their parents looking down
they see the out outdoor perspective of
all the things that the kid's doing and
they have patience on him they know the
kid more than the kid even knows himself
a kid's walking over to a stove that's
hot and the the kid's not doesn't
understand he doesn't know you know
what's happening but he touches it and
then gets upset throws a tantrum gets
mad whatever but if you would have just
listened to the parent instead of trying
to go and experience it on his own
that's how our life should be with Jesus
is
realizing that everything that is in
this book and everything that he is
telling us and when we feel conviction
from the Holy Spirit and everything you
know that the word of God says is to
protect us is to love us because in the
beginning was the word and the Word was
with God and the Word was God this is
him this is living and breathing it's
alive and active today telling you how
to thrive in life and the thing is just
because you thrive doesn't mean that
hard situation and circumstances aren't
going to come in your life but it's
showing you who you can run to now you
were created for the environment of the
Holy Spirit continuing on he renews my
strength he guides me along right paths
bringing honor to his
name if you are feeling weak today I
want you to understand that you haven't
received this yet this is a promise of
God that he renews your strength he
guides you along right paths bringing
honor to his name even when I walk even
when you walk friend through the darkest
Valley you will not be afraid for he is
close beside you his rod and staff
protects and comforts you a rod and
staff is the thing that a Shepherd would
hold to not only you know I think it has
like a loop on it to pull the Sheep's
necks closer to them to comfort them to
lead them to guide them but also on the
other end is is a thing to fight the
things that are coming against the Sheep
to protect the Sheep how freeing is life
when we realize like oh I don't have to
do this alone I wasn't made to live in
control of my life I wasn't made to have
all this knowledge because the thing is
like when we have all the knowledge it's
going to crush us that's what how Adam
and Eve felt they wanted to know
everything but you weren't created to
that's how we have faith we walk in
faith with Jesus because we don't know
everything but we trust his word we
trust that it's better for us not to
know everything he'll reveal things to
us sometimes it feels like it's too much
that we do know but we just give it to
the Lord and realize that he knows the
best for us you prepare A Feast for me
in the presence of my enemies you honor
me honor Me by anointing my head with
oil my cup overflows with blessings
these are all Promises of God that when
you feel like people are against you and
they're saying these things and you feel
lost all this stuff about you he
prepares A Feast for you what is the
feast he is the feast this is the bread
of life we we don't live by bread alone
the Lord is how we live we are made for
the environment of the Holy Spirit and
it says that he anoints our head with
oil not only in the way of the church
since that we think you know oh I got my
anointing I'm going pray over this no if
you realize this that back in the day
not even back in the day just even today
Shepherds will anoint sheep's head for
protection so there's fleas and there's
I think it's like a botfly that will
live on these sheep's head and start to
make um babies on it and it'll start to
multiply multiply multiply and then
eventually like try to start eating on
their head to where it irritates them so
much to where they beat their head
against a tree until they
die so how many times do Satan been
planting lies in your head oh you're
this you're this you're this you're this
you're this where it irritated you so
much to where you no longer want to live
you no longer want to be alive it drives
you insane the thing is that Jesus
anoints our head with oil and protects
us from those lies with his truth but we
must believe it and walk it out so when
Satan's telling you these Lies We must
believe no this is what the word of God
says says that I am he anoints my head
with oil and protects me from the lies
of the enemy my cup overflows with
blessings surely your goodness and
unfailing love will pursue me all the
days of my life and I will live in the
house of the Lord forever y'all we can't
only read this but we have to declare
this over our life we have to believe it
friend he is for you he loves you so
much if we would quit pursuing the
platform like the Pharisees did and
started pursuing Jesus in secret it says
he will reward you he is the reward and
many of us aren't okay with him being
the reward we want it for oursel we want
the following we want the fame we want
all this but the thing is Jesus is the
only reward that will ever fill you the
only thing I mean whenever at the woman
at the well he says I have water Living
Water that you can drink and you will
never go thirsty again that is what he
offers to us friend so I want you to
practice first Thessalonians 4 of living
a quiet life you don't have to post
everything on social media you don't
friend you don't have to tell everyone
when you start living for God and living
for an audience of one like life becomes
a lot less stressful life becomes
actually enjoyable because you can
please God you can't please everyone
else there's always going to be people
you know who are saying you need to do
this you need to do this you need to do
this but the thing is when even when we
are living for God and we don't always
what feels like please him he has Grace
over our life friend he already knew
what you sins you were going to do when
he died on the cross for you and he's
already forgiven you so we walk in that
Grace may you live for an audience of
one seeking to live a slow and quiet
life life begins to be a lot slower when
we realize that it's not about us and
it's about Jesus and there's times that
we're going to be busy but it's about
inviting God into the busyness and
realizing wait this isn't about me it's
not how I feel it's about Jesus and how
can I make his name known in it friend I
love you so much I pray in Jesus name
that you feel the Holy Spirit come upon
you and if there's any demonic that is
attacking you trying to make you busy
trying to make you Restless trying to
make you feel like you need to prove
yourself I rebuke it in Jesus name and
ask the holy spirit's peace um to come
over you and I just speak Iden and I
speak Jesus over you in Jesus name love
you so much God Amen
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)