Tom & I are currently in Winnipeg at the Mennonite Summit for North America. Our keynote is behind us and I am getting ready for a workshop on GodSpace: Creating new rhythms for life. As I prepare I have been reflecting on what spiritual practices really are . We like to spiritualize our observances and put them into a tidy box but I realize more and more how much we need to break out of that kind of thinking. A spiritual practice is anything that connects us to God – a thought about the cleansing power of the spirit as we have our shower, a revelation about the wonder of God as we look at a flower, an encounter with God reflected in the face of a stranger or the discipline of God administered through the voice of a friend are all spiritual practices that we both need to acknowledge and deliberately look for. I think that we miss out on much that communicates the presence of God because we are not looking and listening for God in our daily activities.
Where are you most aware of God? What draws you close? What makes you feel distanced from God?
Filed under: Christianity, Religion, Rhythms of life, spirituality, Uncategorized Tagged: | Chritianity, life, Religion, spiritual practices
Interesting questions.
I just started reading ‘finding our way again’ by Brian McLaren.
Some thoughts that come to mind:
I tend to see my prayer life as me thinking in the presence of God while listening for his thoughts. It’s not so much me aiming specific words at him, but just having the thoughts I’m having aware that he hears them and expecting him to let me catch his thought too.
You mention the shower which is a big one for me, I once wrote a blog post about:
“Sitting naked in the dark, Face in my hands with water pouring over my head…” seeing myself in a new way.
I find it harder to maintain this mind-set amidst the daily grind, when I do manage it the effect is either transforming or convicting.
However:
Trying to create a connection rarely seems to work for me, it’s the moments of surprise that impact most, where I’ve been thinking about something and suddenly become aware of the presence of God (he has been there the whole time naturally but awareness hits me suddenly) and there is a moment of shared thought.
any way, interesting questions.
No question. I am most aware of God when I’m in nature and when I’m isolated.
Sad thing is that when I’m in church, I’m more often aware of the church people than I am aware of God. Which always makes me wonder… Is being aware of church people the same thing?
Thanks for the comments
Mark: Sounds as though we may enjoy God in similar ways. I too connect to God in the midst of nature.
Ben: I agree it is hard to connect in the midst of the daily grind. It really does take a deliberate effort, those moments of surprise are often more special because of that. I knew someone that scheduled 2-3 minute times of prayer throughout the day to reconnect to God. I wonder if that is what all of us need to do in order to deepen our sense of God’s presence.
I feel like I experience God’s presence a lot through talking with a small group of other God followers – as we discuss things that are going on in our lives and speak truth and encouragement and sometimes currection to one another I feel God’s presence with us.
I also expereince God a lot through movement – I’ve been doing yoga for a few years now and for me I experience God a lot through it – it is active prayer for me. I also used to dance a lot and I often felt God’s presence when I danced.
And another time that I thought of when I feel God’s presence is when I experience something beautiful – like being out in nature, or seeing a beautiful painting, or a candle flickering, or just watching two people connect in a real way… etc, etc.
Meditation is how I find the best connection to God, and like the others say, when you are out in the wild surrounded by nature.
Beth,
Great stuff. It is interesting to me that most people seem to connect to God through nature – no one so far has mentioned to me that they connect through church. Maybe we need to rethink our priorities.
Thank you for coming to our assembly in Winnipeg. It was a very powerful time for my wife and I. Weeding the garden and watering the plants now has new meaning for me. It is a more prayerful event. Thank you for your impact and the work you and Tom and MSA do.
Bud we thoroughly enjoyed the assembly. I am glad it has given you new insights into the mundane acts of weeding and watering the garden – I think they can really be very spiritual experiences.
Blessings
Christine