Deep and Wide, Deep and Wide, There's a Fountain flowing Deep and Wide.... Ever heard that song? It was a childhood favorite for me and it came to my mind the other day while driving. I was contemplating my oldest daughter going to a college that feels like it is clear across the United States. It was making me feel a bit emotional. It seems so far. It was hitting deep chords and the wide distance felt a bit scary.
However, I realized that whether close to home or miles apart what connects us is not found in the miles, just like my relationship with Christ. Instead, it’s that inward connection woven together with love that crosses great divides and pieces together our fragments and turns them into His masterpiece.
It can be hard to find God in all your moments. If we imagine the great divide that separates us from God, it can seem too big a task. However, he is there. Hearing God is 100% possible but it requires intentional daily discipline that at first is not always easy.
Here are ten ways to experience a deeper relationship with God that will allow you to see Him despite the wide expanse. In stillness, you will learn to hear his voice and soon find yourself in sync with your Saviour.
1. God is that you? Or is that me?
Ever had a child asked you how you hear the voice of God? Or say, "How will I know when it is God's voice and not my own?" It is hard to teach children something that most adults also have a hard time grasping. I mean we are trying to explain a presence that can not be physically seen or heard. It can be hard to give them a tangible way to connect.
Imagine the depths of the seas, the width of the skies, there in that vast expanse is God. His love is truly deep and wide. Visualize the ocean waves, the summer night storm, the winter blizzard, his handiwork is right there. Imagine the warmth you feel when your heart was hurting and you were alone... that feeling of peace in the midst of heartache - that was Him. Those chills that went down your spine and the quickening you felt in your heart while talking to a friend who said exactly what you needed to hear. That was Him.
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17
2. Relationships require two people actively working together.
Every relationship requires two people. It is impossible to have any lasting relationship without intentional communication. Give and take. And yet, while we are stumbling along life's path blaming a non-audible God for our present state, we totally fail to see our lack of active participation.
Nothing is more frustrating than being in a relationship that feels one-sided. It is never long before the neglected party walks away. And then the hurt sets in. Be thankful God doesn't walk away when we ignore Him and invest no time in strengthening the bond. God never intended for us to be alone and He surely never walked away from you.
If you want to hear God today, you have to invest time with Him. Open His word, begin to digest his promises, and connect with others whose walk is steadfast.
Remember, the only way to hear God in the hard times is to find him first in easy times. The connection needs to be solid before the storm sets in. From there, you will soon hear His voice, feel His hand, and be filled with His peace during life's toughest heartaches.
You need only to be still.
The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. Exodus 14:14
3. I have to consider my motives.
This one is hard. There really is a way to rationalize most anything these days. All the arguments and debates have most of us confused and agitated. At a moment's notice, we can silence moments that really matter because our motives are not pure. Life gets jammed pack and the information overload is intense. We then start following the wrong crowd and pretty soon, His voice is on mute as we follow motives that are not after His heart.
Find a place and quiet your pace. Examine your motives. Connect, read his word, quote some favorites verses, journal, and remember your why. Pretty soon, your desires change. You see with new eyes, confusion settles, and the Holy Spirit is back as your guide.
But from there you will seek the Lord your God and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. Deuteronomy 4:29:
4. I must have faith.
But... What if...
Faith excludes the but, the what if, and the second-guessing. Faith puts into practice your connection with Christ. It allows you to step into places that seem a bit too scary as you follow His lead. Faith even gives you the courage to embrace unfair moments and turn them into good.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
5. No vacation days allowed.
To remain on course, you have to stay the course. Our relationship with Christ is the map for our present and future. As necessary as food is for the body daily, so is our walk with Christ. It is our nourishment. Just like professions such as doctors, nurses, and other frontline workers, it is a 24/7 job.
Life never stops. You can’t clock out then decide when to clock back in. It is His time, not your time. Don't punch out and miss His goodness. Stay the course.
Carve the time with him daily and you will soon find it becomes the nourishment necessary for your survival. Your personal time with Christ will become the daily vacation from your life's crazy.
6. You must have awakening moments.
Ever had a moment when God finally gets your attention? Usually, these are tough moments mentally and physically. When your world begins to crash and you find yourself feeling hopeless, it is here that we often get the much-needed slap in the face.
In the medical world, patients often realize after a major heart attack, stroke, or other life-threatening illness that they must make some big changes. It is moments such as these that awaken people to the inward work that must be done.
Spiritual awakening requires honesty and an inward inventory. Get used to the unexpected twist and turns in life and keep your GPS destination always set towards Him. His detours can be a bit bumpy but that straight path you thought was the better route could lead you straight over the cliff!
"Unexpected situations in life are inevitable. They arrive on our doorsteps like uninvited guests. However, we can prepare for them. We can... grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:8a). When we do that, we're ready for whatever lies ahead."
The writers of Encouraging.com
7. Remember how far God has carried you.
"When we remember what God has done in the past, we can trust him today."
The writers of Encouraging.com, God moments: A year in the Word.
Set up some reminders of where and what God has brought you through. It is in seeing these past heartaches that we allow gratitude to saturate areas that surface in weakness. It is easy to forget when you find yourself rolling through life without any problems, but you will eventually face another struggle and you will need yesterday's gratitude and wisdom to trust Him today.
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:1
8. Take Action Today.
When I start to waiver or feel like God is suddenly on mute, I find places to be still. It is here in the stillness that I find the courage to take action today.
Sometimes, it is hard to completely discern His voice; however, action creates the catalyst to finding God and making your moments matter today. Don't let other things compete for your time with Him and set high expectations. There you will find exceedingly abundantly more than you could ever imagine.
God can do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think. Ephesians 3:20
Big Dreams + a Big God = An Extraordinary Future
9. Share. Tell your story.
Every time I share my story or open up a private area that God has healed in my life, I get an outpouring of love from others. It connects me to people and shares God's love. It can be intimidating to open these private hurts, but once you do, you feel God in all the moments. You see how He was in places that you did not at first feel or see him. It invigorates you to continue to share and He continues to work in your every moment.
There is no greater journey than connecting through sharing. It is there God weaves friendships that keep you accountable and...
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20
10. But God... Be still.
Life is hard. Over the last few years I have learned through heartache and pain that the battle is not mine, it is His. It is in this stillness and relinquishing control, that God takes over and shows His grace and mercy. Watching him turn battles into victories and pain into joy, has allowed me to see and feel His presence every day.
Imperfections do not define you and struggles can't keep you down. Stay connected. Be intentional in your relationship with Him and watch Him do the impossible. Success and happiness are available to all. You need only to be still.
"It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me." Galatians 2:20
Making my moments matter,
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