We’ve all gone through phases in our walks with the Lord where He feels far away. We get caught up in the humdrum of day to day life, and completely forget about the eternity that lies ahead in heaven.
We miss out on our taste of heaven on Earth by not being in constant communication with the Lord, hearing His voice and seeing His beauty.
The dance continues, as we try not to lose focus in the busyness that life has, all the while missing out on the precious moments the Lord offers us. If only we would stop and see it.
I guess the big question we all have is - how?
Losing focus
Something I often catch myself writing about is about how easily we can lose focus and perspective of the, “big picture” so to speak.
Our time here on Earth is but a blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things. Think about it. 80(ish) years on this Earth in comparison to eternity in heaven with our Saviour.
When I meditate on this fact, it’s as though every problem and trial I’m facing at the moment melts away to nothing. Everything quickly becomes superficial and not worth my time.
I become filled with a sense of urgency to fulfil the Great Commission and to spend every waking moment with my Father, to know His heart deeper and to understand what His mission is for me during my brief time here.
And then, the moment passes. Bills come in, work piles up, the house becomes messy, and I’ve all but forgotten. My mind becomes cluttered once more and we’re back at square one.
Can life’s stressors be eliminated?
While it’s tempting to imagine that if we were to quit our day jobs and live in a remote jungle that we’d suddenly be at complete peace and ultimate relationship with the Lord, it’s not entirely true.
Even during my seasons of doing full time missions work, there was still dishes in the sink, rent to be paid, and other tasks that didn’t necessarily feel groundbreaking, but necessary nonetheless.
While we should always be in a state of surrender and obedience to the Lord’s desire for our lifestyles, abandoning all of our “problems” will not resolve the apathy in our relationship with the Lord or our attitudes towards life.
We cannot blame life’s tasks, trials, circumstances, and stressors for the lack of intimacy in our relationship with the Lord.
So with that in mind, how do we experience God’s love and presence, even in the most mundane unescapable moments that come along with life?
Listening ears
Many of us can remember being a young child at school for the first time and having your teacher explain the concept of, “listening ears”
“Keep your listening ears on when I’m speaking,” they would say. Or, “Put your thinking caps on,” when sorting out a difficult problem.
While it may be a cute anecdote to help kids be focused and attentive, I feel that the concept is one that I need to often revisit as an adult.
Perhaps one of the best ways to stay in tune and on track is to put on the full armour of God each day, as described in Ephesians chapter 6, verses 10-18.
Just as we would mime placing our thinking caps and listening ears on our heads in class, as we should place the helmet of salvation on as we go into the world.
Eyes to see and ears to hear
In consciously wearing the full armor of God each day, and keeping eyes to see His goodness, and ears to hear His voice, you can only imagine how different our days and even our lives could play out.
On the days I go about my life without communicating with the Lord, they are extraordinarily unremarkable. Unmemorable. Ho-hum.
Yet, on the days I stay in communication with Him, asking Him to open my eyes to the beauty of His creation, the complexity of His people, and the depths of His love for me, my days are noticeably different. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 urges us as believers to pray without ceasing, and to be in a state of rejoicing always. We must guard our minds, and open our ears.
No, it doesn’t mean that the lawn magically mows itself and I’m freed from all responsibility, but rather that I experience so much more of His goodness.
For instance, rather than just cooking food, I’m reminded of each of the various foods the Lord crafted for us to enjoy, each with their own unique flavour.
The sooner we’re aware of the fact that the creator of the heavens and the Earth longs for true, intimate relationship with us, the sooner we can experience His goodness and fulfill His plans for us.
Dear brothers and sisters, may we have our listening ears on each day that we have breath.
Miranda Menelaws is a Canadian freelance writer. During her spare time, she can be found travelling the globe in search of a new story to tell, or writing about her adventures on her blog.
Miranda Menelaws’s previous articles may be viewed at http://www.pressserviceinternational.org/miranda-menelaws.html