 | |  | |  |
| The Institute for Living |
Opening Myself Up to God
| One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 26:3, which says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.” |
| As I was doing my morning devotion I said, “I totally open myself to God.” I realized what that means. It means that I am open to receive whatever comes into my experience – whenever it comes into my experience – because I know that it is precisely what should come into my experience at that particular time for my unfolding purpose. |
| Because I know this, I have peace. I can say like the Apostle Paul, “…for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. (Philippians 4:11, 12) Rather than fighting the circumstances I don’t like and embracing the ones I like, I can view them all equally as valuable patches in the quilt of life. The shift from living in deficiency to living in abundance requires this shift in understanding. As long as I disdain my lack – for money, for companionship, for esteem, for health, for understanding, etc. – as an adverse condition, I will struggle and be unhappy. If, instead, I view any of those states as seedling time for gestation I will begin to be able to know the greater purpose. |
Abundance isn’t always apparent. An orange tree stands barren in winter, looking as though it were dead. The abundance of oranges still exists within it but such is not apparent. Only at the appointed time of Spring will its abundance show forth. However, if the farmer just determined, based on apparent deficiency, that there was no ‘orange abundancy’ in the tree and failed to nourish it – or cut it down—then the abundance that is there would never materialize. As I totally open myself to God I cannot have anything but perfect peace because I know that God only produces good for me. Also I know that the abundance of the universe is God. If, therefore, God (who is my senior partner) is the abundance of the universe and only has good intentions for me, then why shouldn’t I be at peace? |
But am I always at peace? NO! The Isaiah passage is a conditional passage: it says I will only be at peace to the extent I keep my mind stayed on God. Ah, there’s the problem. Most of the time my mind is stayed on my problems, not on God. It’s like tuning in to a radio station: God is always broadcasting, but I’m just not tuned in. Sometimes I’m tuned in but I have a lot of static on the line. That static is all the other emotions that make me less than committed to really listening to this station. Most times I’m more interested in telling Him what I have to say rather than hearing what He has to say. Other times I’m tuned in but I can’t hear the God station clearly because there are too many other distractions. The other noises of my life drown Him out. The noises of my life are all my personal activities in pursuit of wealth, education, friendships, romance, family – all the things that my ego tells me are essential to my well-being. I am reminded of the scripture in Luke 10: 40-42 , which says, But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful; and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. “…but one thing is needful.” Oh what powerful words! I spend so much time doing everything except the one thing which is needful. And that one thing is to stop. I have to stop everything else and just be still so that I can hear the still, small voice of God – transmitting from the radio station, without static. But it is so hard to stop. Even when I stop doing things I keep thinking about things. One writer profoundly said God is found in the gap between our thoughts. |
We refer to ourselves as “human beings” and yet we act like “human doings.” We know so poorly how to stop doing things long enough to just be. And yet the Bible says, “In your patience possess ye your souls.” (St. Luke 21:19) As we move to the next step we realize that rather than being human beings having the occasional spiritual experience, we truly are spiritual beings having human experiences for a while. This realization creates significant potential for change. At this level of spirit an unlimited reservoir of new truths will be discovered. The other major obstacle to our being clearly tuned in to the “God station” is our affinity for materiality. The Bible says, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (St. John 4:24). Even in our most sincere attempts to connect with spirit we tend to want some material instrument as a vehicle to help us in our devotion. As an example when I light a candle to meditate it is so easy to get caught up in focusing on the candle rather than going through the candle to spirit. Idolatry is all around us, although we don’t call it such. Idols are the material representations we use to go between us and God. Even the church can be an idol. Many people only attempt to connect with God when they go to a church building rather than attempting quiet, direct devotion in their own private space. But God keeps broadcasting and I’m learning more and more how to tune in. It’s a really difficult process to turn down the volume of all the competing noises. It’s really difficult to get the static off my line that is caused by the other emotions of my life. It’s a journey. My joy is in knowing that God is with me each step of the way. |
Other Readings...
Be sure to read our recently released book: The Making of a Preacher: Naked in the Pulpit |