This year, a friend has given me a book called “Jesus Calling” by Sarah Young, which has a couple of paragraphs to read each day, written in the first person, as if from Jesus, with a number of accompanying bible verses. They are uplifting, relaxing, reassuring and have transformed my mornings.
I like to think of myself as someone who prays a lot. Frequently, if not for very long. I check in with God multiple times in the day, even if just to say hello. Some days I check in more often than others of course. The problem is, on many days I’m not checking in to say hello. Instead, I’m checking in to reel off my list of requests, to whinge and to ask God to do something about all the things I see as having gone wrong, or having the potential to go wrong. As I walk along the tow-path in the morning, my thank you for what He has given me is a quick formality before I launch into my list of things I want His help with.
Each morning, I get up, get dressed for work and head downstairs to eat my breakfast and check my work emails, before making my husband’s breakfast. I’ve added an extra step now – after I’ve checked my work emails, in that little bit of peace and quiet before the day gets going, I read that day’s page in “Jesus Calling”. Through these daily readings (and I’m not even a full month in so I’m not talking from extensive experience here) I’m starting to change the focus of my conversations with God. The words I read are not always straightforward or easy. They don’t promise wonderful things just around the corner. They don’t solve any of my problems. What they do is give me perspective. And so I wanted to share with you just three things that I’ve learnt, in case they help you too.
Take some time to recognise the beauty of God’s world.
If you’ve read God-made you’ll know that when I walk in the countryside, surrounded by things God has made, I find it easier to connect with Him. I can reach Him more easily, I think of Him more readily. I talk to God about the things He has made which make me smile, and to tell Him how much I love being able to have a relationship with Him. When I focus my conversations with God on the beauty that He has created, I step away from my to-do list and my worries and instead immerse myself in His gifts. When I do that, my “thank you” becomes more than just a formality. It is more heart-felt and it is real. God wants us to thank Him: 1 Thessalonians 5:18 begins “be thankful in all circumstances”. So sometimes let’s do it properly, as our sole focus.
Tell God that you trust Him.
You probably do trust Him, mostly. You probably fully intend to place your trust completely in Him. But I think that’s really hard to do. So as a starting point, just say it. Tell God that you trust Him. Out loud. Try it now. “God, I trust you.” Then keep trying it, whenever you think of it. It will remind you to actually do it. Then, when that’s a habit, try saying it out loud in those moments when everything is going wrong. When you can’t see a way out and you feel God has let you down. In those moments, say out loud to God that you trust Him. Do all you can to really trust Him. And see what happens. I can’t promise you that the situation will resolve itself as you wanted it to, or that you will suddenly feel completely restored. But I can promise that it will help. In that moment when you give God your trust, you will find that you are more at peace, that you can breathe through the panic, and you will start to see how to take your next step. Remember Proverbs 3:5-6:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.
God does not promise us a life without problems, and nor do we “deserve” that. We can’t expect it. We can however expect God’s loving and restorative presence guiding us through the hard times.
Don’t expect to nail it!
I would love to be able to hold a conversation with God without getting distracted. I mean, who deserves that more than God? But I don’t often manage that. Sometimes I don’t even notice I got distracted until hours later. Sarah Young has a wonderful phrase: “Share a secret smile with Me”. God gets it. He knows who we are. We don’t have to hide from Him the fact that we are a bit rubbish at some things. So that’s what I’m trying now. I’m owning up to it when I get distracted. We laugh about it and we move on.
2 Corinthians 12:9 says “Each time He said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” I talked in When Christmas comes down about letting go of guilt. We can do that in our relationship with God. We aren’t going to get it right every time, and we don’t help anything by dwelling on that! Instead let’s own up to God when we get it wrong and move forward with Him.
So, take time to see God’s beauty, tell God that you trust Him, and don’t worry when you get it wrong. Through those three things, and in fact in every one of my daily readings, I’ve started to focus more on simple trust in God, and I have really benefited from the peace that comes with that. When I give my troubles to God, let go of some of the pressure I put on myself and take time to notice the beauty around me, I am more able to find my way, or rather (hopefully), God’s way. I find a snippet of His peace, and what in the world is better than that?
I’ll leave you with my favourite verse in the Bible, which I come back to time and time again: 1 Peter 5:7.
Cast all your worries on Him, because He cares for you.