God is SO good. It’s insane.
That said, sometimes it is easy for us to underestimate just how insane His goodness is. Heartache, distractions, hurry, and insecurity can all keep us from seeing the full scope of how gloriously good and kind and present God is in our lives. That’s where spiritual disciplines come in.
Spiritual disciplines, if done free of a motive of compulsion and performance-orientation, can be so enriching. They open our eyes to the wonder and awe of the beauty that is God-with-us. They help us savor life and squeeze all the juice out of it. They help us more fully “taste and see that HE IS GOOD.”
I personally love to practice any kind of spiritual discipline that slows me down and helps me notice where the Lord is moving in my life. For this reason I almost daily write an extended list of ways that I am grateful that God has given me fresh joy, or that He has spoken to me, or that He has touched me or proven He is showering His favor on me. It’s amazing how many times I will realize that I almost completely forgot how active He has been in my life because I was too busy living it. If I pause to consider it all though, it actually seems like I have the best history with Him possible!
I also love to practice adoration — singing out or speaking out to Him all that I love about who He is and how He treats me. It’s funny, sometimes it feels like it is going to be work for me before I start. As soon as I get rolling with it though I find so much joy and pleasure in the moment. Simultaneously I feel His rich affection poured back on me much stronger.
It’s also been a big blessing for me to get used to practicing quiet contemplative prayer. I get away by myself and just rest in silence, breathing in and breathing out. I mindfully take note of all my stray thoughts and anxieties — just noticing them, not judging them. I am then re-centered on the fact that I am held by my Father’s embrace and that I am His delight. Thought it’s often a struggle to wind down, I grow conscious that He and I are simply together. It is the sweetest form of quality time.
All of this then translates into a life where I am often noticeably more gentle, patient, loving, confident, and Spirit-led than I would be had I not otherwise purposefully given Jesus my focus for a while. Most of all, I appreciate my day and my connection with the Lord throughout it better.
I encourage you, be intentional about carving out space to be with yourself, your thoughts, your heart and with the precious Holy Spirit. Invite His leadership and His voice into your day. Lift your own voice to His ears. Let the love between you be nurtured and more fully enjoyed. He saved you for this very purpose — because He wants you all to Himself. For your benefit and for His intense happiness, give into His pull on your soul.
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