Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Don’t take this personal but you are probably what happened to your quiet time.

One of my favorite things to do is fish for Ling-Cod a nasty looking fish that is peculiar not only in looks but it’s name, though it bears the name cod, a cod it is not. This fish when hooked is fun to reel in because it is a bottom fish and the bottom is where it likes to stay! While you reel one in it dives to the bottom giving you about the same above water action as you would pulling a 1975 Buick Electra two hundred and fifty feet from the ocean floor. After taking the time to pull one in you will find the ugliest fish you will probably ever see (also similar to the 75 Buick Electra). The mouth of the fish is similar in size to the lead singer of Aerosmith while the rest of its body resembles a boa-constrictor. It’s an ugly, but tasty, monster!

When you take your flesh into your quiet time it does not enjoy pulling up ugly stuff from the deep parts your heart. Time in the word will seem as shallow and uneventful as guppy fishing if you are the one wielding the sword!

Allow the sword to be in the Spirits hands however and you will get a different result.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Think about the incredible power of the Word of God. When in control of you the Spirit uses the word to dive deep. The Spirit and the word together have the power to discern and drudge up the murky monsters from deep within your soul.

Now go fish… then go tell a friend your fishing story!