“God is wonderful and glorious. I pray that his Spirit will make you become strong followers and that Christ will live in your hearts because of your faith. Stand firm and be deeply rooted in God’s love. I pray that you and all of God’s people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep. I want you to know all about Christ’s love, although it is too wonderful to be measured. Then your lives will be filled with all that God is” (Ephesians 3:16-19 CEV).
I have been meeting with my spiritual director and have chosen three areas to work on during this pandemic and beyond. I offer these three topics as areas for our mutual growth and support.
- Focus. There are so many problems to solve, things to learn, uploads, downloads, Zoom meetings, phone calls, emails, texts, messages, webinars, conference calls, and ______ that demand our attention. It is so easy to forget our why of the what and how of our lives. This is where Ephesians 3:16-19 centers me, “…stand firm and be deeply rooted in God’s love.”
- Balance. When we know our why, God invites us into a relationship that is all encompassing: mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.
My ministry involves a lot of sitting! And I have often neglected my physical side which ultimately impacts my emotional, metal and spiritual side. One practice that I have been working on is getting outside and walking every day, even it is only for fifteen minutes. The real challenge for me is to take this time to not think about work or relationship issues but to listen. This past week, I was on a trail and I heard the whisper of the wind, the snap of twigs caused by squirrels running, the flapping of goose wings, the rocks crunching under my feet, water lapping the shore, and then I was in a place to hear God and fully embrace all that God is.
- Gratitude. This may be more difficult when we are surrounded by pain, suffering, loss, grief and death. I need to be even more intentional in these circumstances. So, I begin each day with thanking God for this day and this moment. Throughout the day I take some deep breathes expressing my thankfulness to God for “God is wonderful and glorious” (Ephesians).
Wonderful and Glorious God. What we desperately desire is to become strong disciples and that You would live in our hearts. Help us to stand firm and be deeply rooted in Your love. We pray that each of us and all of God’s people will understand what is called wide or long or high or deep. Please help us discover the awesomeness of Your love so that our lives will overflow with all that You are. Amen.