August 6, 2009
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Undiscovered Continents
So how does it start? How do I get back to that place of constant communion with God? Honesty leads to intimacy, and a key ingredient in relationship is intentionality. If you're not intentional, if you don't make an effort, then you are sunk.
Some people don't think it's important to have a quiet time with God every day. They have told me that, for them, prayer every few days is sufficient. Personally, I've always been a proponent of daily quiet times - that extended heap of time with the Lord every day which sets the stage for constant communion all day long... but in the last few years, I've unintentionally lived out the opposite philosophy as I've only "checked in" with God every few days. For me, it's contributed to a status quo existence of mediocre living. Without that time with Him, it's hard for me to shake any subtle fears which leach onto me and ends up causing an inability to take steps of faith. I'm tired of crippled living - of only being half of who I am destined to be in Him. Who wants to be only half of their potential? Who wants to miss the life they were destined for? Surely, without constant communion with Him, I am only living a shoddy shell of His dreams for me.
Therefore, I take it back. I claim it again -- a life lived in constant communion with my God.
I remember Brother Lawrence writing that he treated this aim as an experiment. If his mind should wander from God, then he would just bring it back to God again. It's an experiment. No need to beat yourself up. As long as we are still in our earthly tent, it's a given that we are prone to wander. To think otherwise would be to set myself up for failure, and I will never move forward in the way of faith.
In reference to having constant communion with God, Frank Laubach wrote, "I feel convinced that...there lie ahead undiscovered continents of spiritual living compared with which we are infants." Continents of undiscovered spiritual living??!! Sounds simply tantalizing. I want to join him in his experiment of asking, "What, Father, do you desire done/said this minute?" at every minute... to invite Him to pour into my every minute. Now that would be glorious living! I want to fill every minute full of God - to open the windows and let Him in - to invade, fill, permeate all my life and all my being!
Comments (3)
This has TOTALLY been on my mind lately. I am the same. There have been times in my life of incredible growth and bliss in being with God daily. But for a long time now, I've just kind of said, "Well... it's not really my personality to be so disciplined. I'm not really a strict-schedule kind of person."
Thanks, Mary Ann!
I hear it only gets harder after baby comes. A LOT harder. Well in the beginning you're just dealing with feeding, changing, and sleeping.
I am like you. I can't go for too long without communion with Him. I have too many "issues." I've at times wished I didn't have so many things that affect me so easily but these are the things that draw me to Him. While I know people (& probably my husband included) who seem to "not need Him" so much (though we are all commanded to love Him with all our hearts, minds, and souls) and they can just live life la-dee-da, yet they are the ones who say they need something to kick start their devotional time again. So I don't know which is better.
This is AWESOME!!
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