In the mornings, I nestle in with God. Coffee in hand, I drift to my office. I settle into my glider, turn on my small lamp and dive into His Word. As I listen to my podcasts, I ponder what He is trying to teach me today. I simply talk with Him about my worries for the day, how life has been going, etc. He is a wonderful listener! Sometimes I don’t have much to say, so I just sit in my quiet dimly lit room and be with Him. When I am finished, I somehow feel like I am more equipped to face each day. Sometimes I feel a peaceful presence, sometimes joy and gratitude fill my heart, and sometimes I feel love. Whatever the outcome, beginning my day with Him is a necessity.
When I leave my time with Him and I don’t feel any differently, then I know it is becoming routine and I am simply going through the motions. It is time to take inventory and ask myself these questions. Am I approaching God with an open heart? Am I being intentional and in the moment, or am I distracted? When with Him, am I looking through God-colored glasses or through the tainted eyes of the world? What am I feeding my soul? If I am feeding my soul with the world then my hope and light wane, my soul becomes heavy and my heart fills with negativity. But when I feed my soul with Him and truly keep my heart open, it is just the opposite!
Then I ask myself, “Am I am praying for the right reasons?” “Have I entered my prayer time with the wrong intentions?” If it feels like a chore or something obligatory, then the answer is “yes.” The true reason I should have a prayer life and spend time with God is because of the love I have for Him and that I want that relationship to grow. So, I should sit down with the intention of getting to know Him and learning His character. One thing I have started to do during my prayer time is listen to the scripture for the day and then meditate on the character of God. Each day I write a few adjectives. My list now has over 150 words to describe Him.
Any relationship goes both ways. God has given us His Word, Jesus has given us His life, the only thing I to give to Him is my heart. This only happens when I am vulnerable with Him and share my hopes, dreams, fears, worries and even secrets. No need to leave out the parts I am ashamed of or embarrassed about. I can’t hide from Him. I have found that I can lie to myself, but it does no good to lie to God. He already knows. And He still loves me despite all my flaws and weaknesses!
Another way I have learned to get out of “just going through the motions” is not just pursue His teachings, but actively be involved and help my community. When doing this, suddenly His Word becomes alive! Christianity is an action word. I can’t just read the Bible; I also have to live out Jesus’s mission on this earth.
I put away my pride, step outside of myself and my own vanities. I ignore what I see with my own eyes as they may be scattered with prejudices or biases. I try to be non-judgmental and see others through the eyes of God; see how others are beautiful with all their flaws. I serve with humility and humbly present myself to others as their servants just as Jesus. This reminds me of why I learn His Word in the first place.
It is hard, but step outside of your comfort zone and step inside of Jesus. Only then will you grow. You were created for good works. You were created to have a relationship with your Creator. You were created for joy. So, even if it is only a minute (and it can be anywhere) start an honest conversation with God. Let Him get to know you and you get to know His character. Remember the intention of spending time with Him is your love for Him and desire for your relationship to grow. And don’t just sit back and read and learn but serve your community in some way. We all are the hands and feet of Jesus. We have hands that can serve, arms that can comfort, feet to run to those that are in need, and a heart that can love. I know it is hard to make time to pray, but surely you have time to simply say, “Hello”. It is a start.