“GOD COMMONLY HIDES YOUR FUTURE IN MOMENTS OF PAIN”
Life can leave your spirit depleted. We’ve been through so much. Now it’s time to reconnect with God in new, creative ways. Don’t try to mimic someone else’s spiritual walk. Discover the way God created YOU! Here are a few ways folks connect with God:
THE NATURALISTS: Loving God Outdoors
Some people feel most connected to God when surrounded by His creation. Worship God while watching a sunrise or sunset; delight in His artistic expression and praise Him with each changing color. Read and memorize Bible verses that tell of nature reflecting the glory of God (e.g. Psalm 19, 29; Job 38-41). Lie in the grass and look at the clouds, “the dust of God’s feet” (Nahum 1:3); reflect on where God is moving and what He is doing in the world and your life. Sing songs about God and nature. For example: “I Come to the Garden Alone,” or my mother’s favorite, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”
Find inspiration in the skies, the rivers, the trees, and the rocks. If we don’t praise Him, they will! It is also in nature that we can find the quiet and calm to feel God’s presence all around us. There are so many positive, productive hobbies associated with nature that can help renew your inner self. Norman Maclean’s masterpiece novel, A River Runs Through It, perfectly examines the intersection of faith with fly fishing. Getting out into nature can be as simple as lacing up your boots and taking a hike, but I can’t recommend enough investigating hobbies that will take you into the wild. Try camping, kayaking, rock climbing, or fishing. Learn to pitch a tent and cook over a fire. As you learn, you will grow, and as you grow, you will heal and find yourself so connected to your Creator.
THE SENSATES: Loving God with the Senses
Some people may prefer to connect to God with all five senses. One big way to do this is to connect through song. Listen to worship music from different countries. Get a preview of heaven, praising God with brothers and sisters from ‘every tribe and every tongue.’ Invent music for your favorite scripture and sing it. Absorb art in all forms (painting, sculpture, film, music, dance, etc.) by meditating on God’s Truth. Meditate in different ways, from sitting to dancing.
THE TRADITIONALISTS: Loving God Through Ritual and Symbol
Sometimes, all it takes to feel connected to God is through having a routine. Routines are not a bad thing. Meet with God at the same time and place every day. Celebrate significant days in the church calendar like Lent, Pentecost, Advent, etc. Practice prayer breaks throughout the day, pausing for a few moments of prayer every hour. Set the alarm on your phone to help you remember. Learn about festivals and incorporate them into your calendar.
THE ASCETICS: Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity
Loving and connecting to God doesn’t have to be extravagant. You can choose to worship in a simple manner. Rise early in the morning for prayer. Practice silence. Also, mute the soundtrack in your mind. Clean out the storage room or attic and donate items to a relief organization. Practice solitude. Get away from people, phones, social media, and chores for a respite to “be still and know that [He is] God” (Psalm 46:10).
THE CAREGIVERS: Loving God by Serving Others
Some of us feel the most connected to God when we help someone else in need. Visit an elderly person with some baked goods. Ask them about stories of God’s faithfulness in their life. Visit the hospital and seek out those patients who don’t have visitors. Take a meal to a new mom or someone who’s going through an illness. Volunteer at an inner-city ministry.
THE INTELLECTUALS: Loving God with the Mind
While some of us are physical worshippers, some connect more by thinking critically and by researching. Use commentary when studying a passage to better understand the text. Study the seven essential topics in systematic theology. Comprehend why you believe what you believe: God, humankind, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Church, eschatology, and revelation. After reading a Bible passage, apply what you’ve read by identifying one action you will make that day in response to God’s Word.
Make it SMART: Specific. Measurable. Attainable. Realistic. Time-Bound.
“Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Our connection comes not from WHAT we do in worship, but rather HOW we do it. We can read ten chapters of the Bible and have our hearts still be far from God, or we can wash our car in the driveway and have a wonderful time of fellowship with Him.
It’s not where we worship that brings us closer to Him but how we worship. You can feel a connection to the divine while sitting in a cathedral or a small-town church, in the park with friends, or alone on your porch watching birds flitting between feeders. Seek that connection daily but don’t try to force it. Simply leave yourself open to faith and faith will fill that space in the same way snowmelt waters fill mountain lakes. Your time with Him is precious and genuine and He won’t care what lifts you as long as you feel lifted.
Contrary to what one may believe, God did not create us all to worship in the same way. Our physical appearance, spiritual giftedness, and spiritual connection are different. And it’s amazing: one body, many parts, and many great ways to connect with the One True God. Figuring out how you connect with God every day is vital to healing. Thus, to revitalize your spiritual life, look for ways to connect with God that are true to who God created you to be.
ACTIVATION EXERCISES
❧ Determine what you have control over and what you do not have control over. Think about how you might work toward empowering yourself. Does this mean seeking out a mentor or professional therapist? How might your friends and social circles influence your moods and perception of your situation? Think about which friends or family members are supportive of you. Reach out.
❧ Write a list of local places or businesses you might like to visit. Is there a museum nearby or a botanical garden? What art shows or festivals are coming to your town? Is there a local shop or restaurant that you would like to visit and explore on rainy afternoon? Make a bucket list of these types of places or events near you that you think would be interesting and fun. Schedule one or two of these events each month. Write them down in your calendar. Come up with a backup plan if there is a chance one of these events could be cancelled.
❧ Find a new way to connect with God that matches your unique temperament and personality. Are you a naturalist, a sensate, a traditionalist, an ascetic, a caregiver, or an intellectual? Maybe you are some combination of these, or perhaps you have not taken the time yet to find your unique connection with God. Seek Him with emphatic energy and see how He comes running to you.
