Enjoying God
Do you ever feel stressed out feeling your way through life? Do you ever struggle to focus on what life is all about? Do you ever fade into a hopeless exhaustion, wondering "when can I catch my breath?"
Does religion ever feel more like a strenuous work-out than a releasing break-through?
Here's what I think. We have suffered a derailing in our thoughts. Have we bought into the idea that productivity, busyness, activity and efficiency constitute what life's about? Or what church is about for that matter? Where's the rest in God? Where are the Sabbaths moments? Have we forsaken the art of enjoying God? Have we grown insensitive to the moments when God is present through the unanticipated and subtle episodes in life?
The other night a few of my buddies got together for a guys support group. The idea is to enjoy each other, to share our struggles and experience God's power through our unity. One of the guys, however, turned to the leader and boldly asked about our times together, "So what are we going to do with this night? Do we have a plan...do we have a plan?" he insistently asked.
It ripped the heart out of the reason for being together. "No!", I wanted to scream. "We don't have a plan! We don't have an agenda! We have each other!" But I didn't. I think now maybe I should have spoken up a little more about it.
Will we die chasing our tails never to enjoy God and his family? Must there be a reason for every second we spend together? Or can the reason be to simply enjoy each other? No plan, no agenda and no purpose other than to witness the power of God in belonging and acceptance.
Slow down. Take a moment to become aware of God's presence in the small things. He's everywhere we look. He's in the face of a sleeping baby. He's at the ladies night out when they've been waiting to eat for 45 minutes and must continue to converse with each other. He's present in the small "I love you!" note posted on the bathroom mirror. He's in the silence before Bible class kicks off on Sunday morning. He's in the arms of the teenager whose helping up someone who has fallen at school.
Slow down, take a look. You won't regret it.
Does religion ever feel more like a strenuous work-out than a releasing break-through?
Here's what I think. We have suffered a derailing in our thoughts. Have we bought into the idea that productivity, busyness, activity and efficiency constitute what life's about? Or what church is about for that matter? Where's the rest in God? Where are the Sabbaths moments? Have we forsaken the art of enjoying God? Have we grown insensitive to the moments when God is present through the unanticipated and subtle episodes in life?
The other night a few of my buddies got together for a guys support group. The idea is to enjoy each other, to share our struggles and experience God's power through our unity. One of the guys, however, turned to the leader and boldly asked about our times together, "So what are we going to do with this night? Do we have a plan...do we have a plan?" he insistently asked.
It ripped the heart out of the reason for being together. "No!", I wanted to scream. "We don't have a plan! We don't have an agenda! We have each other!" But I didn't. I think now maybe I should have spoken up a little more about it.
Will we die chasing our tails never to enjoy God and his family? Must there be a reason for every second we spend together? Or can the reason be to simply enjoy each other? No plan, no agenda and no purpose other than to witness the power of God in belonging and acceptance.
Slow down. Take a moment to become aware of God's presence in the small things. He's everywhere we look. He's in the face of a sleeping baby. He's at the ladies night out when they've been waiting to eat for 45 minutes and must continue to converse with each other. He's present in the small "I love you!" note posted on the bathroom mirror. He's in the silence before Bible class kicks off on Sunday morning. He's in the arms of the teenager whose helping up someone who has fallen at school.
Slow down, take a look. You won't regret it.
posted by Josh Linton at
10:02 AM
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