In the past 24 hours I have visited with two different individuals about the reality of "connecting with God". Individuals of different ages... Individuals of opposite sex... Individuals who are searching & seeking...
Do you yourself feel as though you "connect with God"?
As I spent time praying, reading & meditating this morning, the question the Lord kept bringing to my mind is, "What distracts you from Me? What diverts your attention from Me? What keeps you from spending time with Me? Growing close to Me? Being fully surrendered to Me?"
I think so many people "do life" & somewhere in the mix try to fit just enough of God in the components to "make it work". We give the majority of our time, attention & energy to other things, other people, other activities & other commitments & then try to slip God in when we are desperate. When we are empty. When we are depleted. We call on Him only in those "have to" moments.
In Proverbs 3:9 God tells us to give Him our firstfruits. I love how the King James Version puts it:
Honour the LORD with thy substance,
and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:
As well, I love the Message Bible translation:
What is keeping you from connecting with God?Honor God with everything you own;
give him the first and the best.
Although I know that most people interpret this as speaking of wealth, riches & possessions, which is true, but I feel just as importantly it refers to our time, our energy, our everything... To me, the time God has given me is more important than any possession that I own. The time He has given me, is what enables me to invest in those that I love the most. It's my greatest asset... My richest gift... I desire to give the One who gives me the gift of time, the firstfruit of that gift.
Is it always easy? No.
Is it sometimes a struggle? Yes.
Is it always desirable? No.
Does it take discipline? Yes.
So as I thought & prayed, I asked the Lord to reveal to me the very things that distract me & draw me away from Him. I asked Him to show me what I allow that keeps me "disconnected" from an intimate & flourishing relationship with Him.
As well, after MaKayla & Mal were up this morning, we visited about this very thing & I asked them that as they prepared for their day to think about what distractions kept them from drawing near unto God. It was quite interesting & enlightening to hear their responses over breakfast. The one thing that really spoke to me was one of the girls made the comment, "I would have to say music is one thing that distracts me. If there isn't music playing, I am bored." There was such truth to that... When we are bored, we grab for anything but God's Word. When we are bored, lonely or longing, we reach out to anything & anyone but God Himself.
After chatting with the girls & digging deep myself, these are some of the things that He revealed...
*insecurity
*worry
*condemnation
*fear
*food
*din (unfruitful noise)
*internet
*cell phone (texting)
*jealousy
*busyness
*discontentment
*self-image
*dependence on something or someone other than Him
*perfection
*television (no cable/satellite here but lots of movies)
*personal agenda
*media
*hobbies (like the 1,000 piece puzzle on our coffee table at the present)
*criticism
*attempts to fix things or people
*reading books more than I read God's Word
*laziness
*frustration
God is showing me more and more every day that the only way I can be victorious & triumphant in overcoming these things & being deeply connected to Him is to discipline myself when I am aware of them. When I realize that they are pulling me away... Keeping me from His presence... Hindering my communication... Slowing my walk... Stunting my growth... It's at those times that I must take my thoughts captive & throw off everything that is keeping me from connecting with Him.
Is it always easy? No.
Is it sometimes a struggle? Yes.
Is it always desirable? No.
Does it take discipline? Yes.
So as I thought & prayed, I asked the Lord to reveal to me the very things that distract me & draw me away from Him. I asked Him to show me what I allow that keeps me "disconnected" from an intimate & flourishing relationship with Him.
As well, after MaKayla & Mal were up this morning, we visited about this very thing & I asked them that as they prepared for their day to think about what distractions kept them from drawing near unto God. It was quite interesting & enlightening to hear their responses over breakfast. The one thing that really spoke to me was one of the girls made the comment, "I would have to say music is one thing that distracts me. If there isn't music playing, I am bored." There was such truth to that... When we are bored, we grab for anything but God's Word. When we are bored, lonely or longing, we reach out to anything & anyone but God Himself.
After chatting with the girls & digging deep myself, these are some of the things that He revealed...
*insecurity
*worry
*condemnation
*fear
*food
*din (unfruitful noise)
*internet
*cell phone (texting)
*jealousy
*busyness
*discontentment
*self-image
*dependence on something or someone other than Him
*perfection
*television (no cable/satellite here but lots of movies)
*personal agenda
*media
*hobbies (like the 1,000 piece puzzle on our coffee table at the present)
*criticism
*attempts to fix things or people
*reading books more than I read God's Word
*laziness
*frustration
God is showing me more and more every day that the only way I can be victorious & triumphant in overcoming these things & being deeply connected to Him is to discipline myself when I am aware of them. When I realize that they are pulling me away... Keeping me from His presence... Hindering my communication... Slowing my walk... Stunting my growth... It's at those times that I must take my thoughts captive & throw off everything that is keeping me from connecting with Him.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us...
let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,
and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us...
Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
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Casting down imaginations,
and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God,
and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
2 Corinthians 10:5 (KJV)
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We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies,
tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God,
fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse
into the structure of life shaped by Christ.
Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground
of every obstruction
and building lives of obedience into maturity.
2 Corinthians 10:5~6 (The Message Bible)
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tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God,
fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse
into the structure of life shaped by Christ.
Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground
of every obstruction
and building lives of obedience into maturity.
2 Corinthians 10:5~6 (The Message Bible)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We've been having some of the same thoughts. Tough ones - but good.
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