If we can hold fast to the revelation of the truth I have been sharing with you for the past five posts, what difference does it make? How would we be different in our lives and the living out of that truth?
Would we cease striving, ever trying to do more to get closer to the Lord or gain His acceptance?
If we have fallen prey to doing so many things for a long time, we might find ourselves puzzling over what our day-to-day life might look like as we embrace the truth of our union with Christ.
We have all those things on our “to do” list, don’t we? What happens with them? What happens with all the spiritual disciplines we have learned we are to incorporate into our lives?
Good questions!
Throughout this series of posts I have often quoted Dave Hickman’s words in Closer Than Close because it was this book that impacted me so deeply that I wanted to share my reflections of it with you. His words once again give me direction for those pesky questions I just asked.
“Richard Foster, in his classic work, A Celebration of Discipline, speaks of the disciplines as ‘the path of disciplined grace.’ Prayer, Scripture reading, silence, solitude—they are each a grace because they are free. Yet they are disciplines because ‘there is something for us to do.’ And that ‘something’ has more to do with intentional positioning than constant pressing; more to do with conformity to Christ than proximity to him.”
Let those words soak in for a few minutes.
If I am clear on my union with Christ and my salvation being Him, then those things on my ‘list’ become less about something I must do, must not forget, and more about wanting to enjoy this union and celebrate it with Him as often as possible. Then I want to slip away to sense that level of intimacy without interruption. Then I will long for that time, not so I can be closer to Him but rather because I am as close as I can possibly be.
I can get more in touch with what Brother Lawrence meant about practicing being in His presence…. presence that was already there, but he was not aware of.
I can become more tuned into how many times and places I see Him throughout each moment.
In Everything Belongs by Richard Rohr, he talks about God’s presence in this way:
“We cannot attain the presence of God because we’re already totally in the presence of God. What’s absent is awareness. Little do we realize that God is maintaining us in existence with every breath we take. As we take another it means that God is choosing us now and now and now.”
We all often talk about our busyness, sometimes busyness about very good things, and sometimes busyness about ministry things, church things.
Whenever we talk about busyness the word tiredness almost always follows. It can be physical, emotional, mental, relational, or spiritual tiredness. Often it is a combination of more than one of these.
As I consider the truth marinating in my heart, mind, and spirit during this series, I see that busyness becomes an enemy especially because it gets in the way of my awareness of Him and the ways He wants to show me Himself. If I am preoccupied with doing throughout my day, will I never notice how beautiful the sunrise was or that my new rosebush is blooming and what fragrance it is giving me…. fragrance that He designed.
I also will not notice or observe those around me, the expressions on their faces or in their bodies that give me clues about what may be impacting them and what He wants me to see in that, to be in that.
I also will not hear them or at least I will not hear them accurately.
I am sure you can guess the list can and does go on and on.
These truths also remind me of what I sensed Him saying to me some years ago that I wrote in my journal:
“I long to speak to you in these morning hours, to encourage your faith and lift up your heart. It has taken us awhile to come to these interludes and I most often just want to remind you that I long to speak to you. I always desire to speak to my children. I want them to know me so intimately that they will immediately recognize any false voice. In that way they will learn not to be ensnared by the subtle devices of the enemy.”
Like all of your posts in this series, again we are pointed to Christ first, to who we are in Christ and then the ‘doing’ follows as it just flows, instead of striving. Such an important message for our world today so we can shine the light of Christ though our contentment of just being in Him!
Thanks so much, Lynn! I always enjoy our connection! I am still catching up with email and the blogs of others after being out of town for a month.
So many beautiful reminders here and it sounds like a wonderful book. I love how you reminded us all these things are FREE!.
Thanks! You are always so thoughtful and encouraging in your responses!!
Being rather than doing. Simply being with God, soaking in His love and grace—such a blessing, but one we miss out on all too often with our “busyness”. Thanks for this reminder to stop and listen and “be”. Your neighbour at #ThoughtProvokingThursdays … and this certainly was very thought provoking! 🙂
Thanks so much Laura! The book I read which inspired the series of which this was the last left me percolating for while. Have a God-kissed day.
Looks like I need to go back and read the previous posts on this as this one is beautiful, drawing me in and calming my heart.
By the way, your writing is just so fine. I love the phrases and sentences you turn as they are poetic and filled with depth.
Thanks so much for your generous words. I think you would be blessed by the other earlier five in the series and hope that the Lord will reveal Himself in them and encourage your heart, mind, and spirit.
Pam, I love this quote and find it to be true: “If I am clear on my union with Christ and my salvation being Him, then those things on my ‘list’ become less about something I must do, must not forget, and more about wanting to enjoy this union and celebrate it with Him as often as possible.” But I still struggle with the pressure “to do!”
I know that struggle and pressure! I think those of a certain era are especially haunted by it. We grew up when the admonition was to do, to work, to produce, etc. versus to play and have fun….I think anyway!
I like the word “now.” With God, it’s always “now.” Thank you for this post!
You’re welcome! Thanks for your note of encouragement!
“If I am clear on my union with Christ and my salvation being Him, then those things on my ‘list’ become less about something I must do, must not forget, and more about wanting to enjoy this union and celebrate it with Him as often as possible.” We talked about these very things in our family worship last night. It shouldn’t be a list of things we have to give up, but rather a desire from love to please our heavenly Father. Thanks for the confirmation. Have a blessed day!
So glad the Lord used this to confirm and encourage your heart! Love and blessings!
Thanks for addressing busyness, Pam … a modern day plague if there ever was one. May we have eyes to see where this noose has become ever present in our lives … and the courage to say ‘no more.’
Busyness is an enemy we cannot seem to slay and keep dead!!
A beautiful reminder of the God who loves us more than we will ever realize! I love the thought that “…God is choosing us now and now and now.” Your posts are always so encouraging, Pam. Many blessings to you!
Thanks, Gayl! I love that as well….”choosing us now and now and now”. Thank you for your affirmation! Have a God-kissed day!
It’s always good to spend time in His presence. Thank you for these beautiful quotes and reminders of how His Presence meets us where we are! (Your neighbor at #TellHisStory)
Thanks so much for your encouragement!