Today's guest blogger, Cliff Rawley, reflects on how difficult it can be to keep our focus on hearing God in the midst of our busyness:

The devotional I wrote for The Upper Room magazine,"A Great Find," reminds me of losing other things. Now I am searching hard for a key to our safe-deposit box. It is frustrating to lose a useful object of personal value. I give thanks that our Lord values me even more than I value my safe-deposit-box key or cell phone.

I ask you to pray that I might discern what God wants me to do. After serving as a hospice chaplain for over five years, I have taken off from work to reflect. So far I have taken a three-month sabbatical and now may extend it to six months.

At 67 years old, I still want my light to shine for the Kingdom of God.

A number of opportunities lie before me:

• I am a United Methodist Minister, and a mall church needs a pastor to serve half time. This would begin in July if my denominational supervisor, the District Superintendent, offers me this place to serve.
• A larger church needs a minister of pastoral care to work part time visiting with people in their homes, in the hospital, and in nursing homes. I like to visit with people and encourage them to share the story of their journey in life, so this job seems a good fit for me.
• Returning to hospice ministry is also an option. A new hospice is opening, and as it grows they will need a part-time chaplain.

Many people in crisis have affirmed how God has gifted me to be a calm and peaceful presence as a caring friend.

The photo above is of me taken in Prague, Czech Republic, in November 2011. Behind me is a statue of John Hus. He was burned at the stake by the state church in 1415. Hus inspires me in my spiritual life. A man of great courage, he spoke out against selling indulgences (forgiveness of sins) to raise money for a violent crusade against Muslim people. He witnessed that Jesus is the Prince of Peace who does not extend God¹s reign by military means. Hus preached that believers in Christ are able to read the Bible directly, for themselves, to grow in spiritual understanding, but religious authorities did not want lay people to read the Bible. He was given the opportunity to recant but refused to deny the light of his conscience.

At my church we have been studying the book of Hebrews. The Spirit is telling me through this study to watch my heart each day so that I don't have a hardened heart of stubbornness. Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 challenges me to listen for God's leadership and follow it daily. I appreciate the spiritual discipline of reading The Upper Room each day to keep my focus on investing in my relationship with our Lord. I am tempted to neglect this priceless gift of relationship with God in Christ.

I can be so caught up in being busy with the American lifestyle of TV and constant news that I forget to make time to listen to Gods guidance for this day, right now.

-- Cliff Rawley