Sometimes I sense God as a calm presence within me Yet, it often seems like I treat God more like a Facebook friend. You know, the kind of friend that we have on Facebook that we really aren’t that close to. We don’t really invest a lot of time with them but every once in a blue moon we like to talk and reconnect and remember all the fun times. Eventually, we go back to ignoring them again or occasionally liking their posts, perhaps even loving their post or laughing at their post. These types of friends are convenient. We can interact with them when we want to and ignore them when it isn’t convenient. (Or we just aren’t feeling it…)
Sometimes, that’s how we treat God. We don’t mean to do this, of course. What happens is we fall into the habit of putting God on the back burner. He is there for every emergency! Each day we might be giving him a prayer or two… But there are times when I’m just neglecting him.
More than FB Friends?
So how do we figure out how to have a relationship with God that’s not based upon being Facebook friends? How do we draw closer to him? How do we get to the point where we actually feel like we’re talking to someone other than ourselves? These questions are very important.
I think the best way to answer these questions is to practice for ourselves. Wait, what? Practice intimacy with God? Yes, that’s what I’ve been doing. I started out slow and each day added more and more time…spending time in prayer. Praying in the Holy Spirit, singing worship songs, telling God my thoughts about things, and even just allowing myself to enjoy his presence. That’s kind of cool! Sometimes, the new intimacy isn’t always comfortable. I don’t always like being quiet. I am learning that I create time for what’s important to me.
Practice intimacy with God?
Trains and free will
The thing about God is that he isn’t going to be rude and come barging into my life. (I picture God driving a train and crashing into my life. Now I am just laughing out loud!) God gave us free will so He isn’t going to just put himself into a collision course and override that free will within us. Let me repeat that. God isn’t going to override our free will, it was a gift given freely. Instead, He’s actually waiting for our invitation, for us to speak to him, to welcome him, for us to say hey I want you to live in me and walk with me side-by-side every day. That is what God is waiting for. Actually, it is what God craves- intimacy with His creation. (Me! You! All of us!)
God isn’t going to override our free will, it was a gift given freely.
God has shown me He is totally in love with each and every one of us and He is eager to spend time with us!!!
Food for thought:
Where does God line up in your friendship? Is he on FB status, ignore; or seeking deeper connection?
Tonya Marie
Kingdom Chats 