I have the pleasure of serving as a host at the downtown coffeehouse called Fraser Street Commons our church operates...free coffee, tea and WiFi plus a casual place to meet friends and/or study. I love doing this! It has enabled me to meet a variety of people from the homeless veteran who needs a place to warm up, to the barista at a coffee shop several blocks away who appreciates a place to rest on her walk home, to the Penn State student looking for a comfortable place to study.
Recently one such student came to the table where I was sitting and asked if she could ask a quick question. I was more than happy to oblige. "Well, maybe not that quick." she added with a smile. Usually such questions have very simple and easy solutions. Could you warm up my lunch in the microwave? Could you get more toilet paper for the bathroom? Things like that. This time the question hung midair, a more substantial and enduring outcome desired. "How do you develop a deeper relationship to God?" Wow! I wasn't ready for that. "That's a good question," I replied. "Let me think." The very first thing to pop into my head was prayer. I started to tell her how God had used that in my life to draw me more deeply into Himself. But then other thoughts quickly emerged. I gave her a roughshod answer but it really got me thinking and I knew I needed to blog. How DO we develop a deeper relationship with God?
First we need to recognize that it is God who does this work. Paul tells us in Philippians that while we are called to intentionally participate in this thing called spiritual life, it is God who both directs and works out His will in this regard. Indeed, doing so gives Him great pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13) Every effort of mine to increase my own godliness has failed miserably. I can't do it. Nobody can. It is a work of God, a gift really. So Janelle, I am changing your question slightly. How do I intentionally participate in growing in spiritual grace and relationship with God?
Prayer
When I was a child prayer was explained to me as talking to God. In some ways this did me great disservice. I wish it had been explained more as a conversation with God. This, of course, gets a bit more complicated from a child's perspective. Conversations are two way streets. For it to be a conversation, I don't do all the talking. Someone needs to speak back to me. Children aren't always the best listeners. Some adults have a difficult time grappling with this too. In our social media lives we've learned to do all the talking! But sadly, I am testament to the reality that difficulty listening existed this way long before social media became as big a thing as it is now.
I remember working through Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God quite a number of years ago now. I sat on my back porch, warm spring air enticing my senses. I had done the greater part of that day's lesson when I got to the action step asking me to take a prayer walk. I remember feeling that what I really needed was to just continue to sit on my back porch or take a leisurely stroll around my garden. But it did say walk! Now you must understand that in those days I was a hardcore walker. Walking meant getting your cardiovascular system working! So I obediently donned my walking shoes and started out. As I hurried along I began talking at God. Yes, you heard me right. I talked so much that I didn't give God an opportunity to get a single word in. I must have walked a mile before I came to a corner that would either take me on a significantly longer walk or go nearly directly home. What should I do? I decided to stop a minute and see if God had any thoughts on the subject. Did you catch that? I stopped. And God did have a thought! He answered my question with a question of His own, "Why don't you just slow down?"
Slow down. That became a life changing reality in my understanding and practice of prayer. If I continue to hurry through life I am apt to miss God's speaking into my life. The greater part of prayer is listening. Perhaps that is what Paul is referring to when he tells us to "pray at all times" in Ephesians 6:18. The picture in this particular passage is that of battle, specifically the clothing of oneself with spiritual armor. This is armor that protects us from the evils and temptations of Satan and his minions. I have discovered that being too busy to listen to God gets me into trouble! Pause. Rest. Hear what God has to say to you. And stay the course God sets.
Prayer also takes practice. I didn't become a stalwart prayer warrior overnight. I've made plenty of mistakes along the way. I still do. But God has me covered there too. In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27) He knows what He wants for me and for every matter I bring before Him. The Spirit will always pray what is right; I need to pray with my heart, expecting a response from the One who loves to answer when I call. (Psalm 3:4)
A spiritual direction practice that may be helpful in getting started, and one I've used often, is called the prayer of examen. Simply put, it is the practice of sitting with God at the end of the day (or the experience) and asking Him to show me how He intervened (or tried to intervene!) in my day. Slowly consider each event of the day. What happened? What was my response? How did I feel? Where was God in this? Looking back I can start to recognize the ways God interacts with me throughout each day and grow to recognize that interaction in the moment.
Bible Reading
John starts his gospel account with these words "in the beginning was the Word." (John 1:1) He is referring to Jesus. The author of Hebrews tells us "for the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) It is Jesus who is behind and part of every word that comprises the Bible. And that is precisely why consuming it regularly is so vital to spiritual growth. If you want more of Jesus then contemplate and actuate more of what He says!
I am a Bible study-er. I can get lost (literally!) for hours examining a passage, looking up the Greek words that are used and any cross references I can find (and sometimes even cross references to the cross references!). When I study a passage I want to know it inside and out! I love the insights I get into the original meaning that way. But all that work isn't necessary in cultivating relationship with God. In fact, it can get in the way. If I haven't asked Him to be part of my study or I make studying too much about me guess who doesn't push His way in? While studying deeply may be good, being with Him in His word is really what we need to experience life transforming relationship. With Him. Don't miss that! I have sometimes taken breaks from hardcore study to just read the Bible. I have been greatly encouraged by using a reading plan to read through the Bible in a year. Or take two years! It doesn't really matter. What matters is setting aside time to spend with God in His word, each day, if possible.
Another spiritual direction practice may be helpful here as well. It is called lectio divina or sacred reading. An ancient way of listening to Scripture, it is meditation combined with prayer and Bible reading. Prayerfully read a passage, or just a verse even. It shouldn't be a long drawn out passage. Just a few verses at the most. As you read, ask God to direct your attention to those things He wants you to see. It may take several slow, deliberate readings. Or you may want someone to read them to you slowly while you just listen. Hear what God is saying to you.
The first time I experienced lectio divina was while I was at summer orientation for my son at Taylor University. A couple of college veteran parents led us through this exercise with Ephesians 3:14-19. What stuck out to me surprised me, brought me to tears even. As verse 16 was read "that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man," the word that stuck out to me was "be". As the passage was read a second time I waited for a different word to stick out. But no. This is what God had for me. As I asked Him about it He spoke sweetly into my spirit, "Ruth, you are so busy with so many things. All I really want for you is to just be...with me." I had been doing so much scurrying with things I had given life and death importance when what really mattered was time with Jesus! Sounds a lot like Martha, don't you think (Luke 10)? Now you can see why the tears flowed! In God's eyes it's not what I do that matters to Him but rather whose I am! This is an incredibly important concept when I consider my relationship with Him.
Later others shared the words that stood out to them. Their words were different. God used that same passage to speak what they needed to hear. Don't ever assume that God will only use His word to say just one thing. His word is living and active; remember? On the other hand, make sure that what you feel He is saying to you can be confirmed elsewhere. Hint: This is where doing a little study would be appropriate.
Community
Perhaps one of the most overlooked components of a thriving relationship with God is community. This should not surprise us. God within Himself is a community. Wouldn't it make sense that the only way to understand His character better is to experience it with others? When I refer to community in this sense I am talking about the church, as in a local body of believers. Community is a great place to share the things that God is showing you in your prayer and Bible reading. God will often confirm the things He shows us through the community in which we live. The author of Hebrews exhorts his readers:
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good
works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people
do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his
return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT
Apparently thinking that we can be lone rangers is not a new issue. But it is still one that must not be ignored. We grow best when we are with other believers. And be sure that social media does not count as community. Sure, I use it just like the next person to stay in touch with people I have a connection; however, I do not use it to replace the vital people of God in my local church. I need that accountability. Face to face. And so do you.
There are lots of ways to build community. Perhaps your church has a life group ministry. Mine does. As a matter of fact my husband and I host one! If you happen to live near State College, PA you can check it out here. Perhaps it doesn't. That's not an adequate excuse. Join a Bible study. Seek to meet regularly with other believers for the purpose of prayer and accountability (and maybe a sandwich or two!). Start a practice of hosting a meal or meeting others at a restaurant for a shared meal where you can discuss what you see God doing in your life. Be intentional. Proverbs 27:17 tells us "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." God created life to be done together.
While there are certainly other ways that God uses to grow us (and I'm sure I'll touch on them at some point) these three - prayer, Bible reading and community - seem to be the main ways in every day life that He uses to bring us closer to Him. There was a time in my life when I had to do these things even when I didn't feel like doing them. It was a struggle. But I kept coming. And asking God to participate with me, to show me more of Himself, to awaken life in me. And guess what? He did.
Rest assured... I am praying that for you as well!
No comments:
Post a Comment