How do we connect to God and His heart, mind, and emotions? We long for to feel like God is near, close, and speaking to us. When we think about this feeling, we assume that it will feel like an overwhelming emotion of happiness, love, joy, and tranquility. We think it will feel like being connected with something other than us, bigger than us, more powerful, beautiful, and more loving than us. And sometimes, it does! We have even felt this closeness a couple times before. To know and feel that God is near is a truly wonderful experience.
But we don’t always feel that way. In fact, we normally don’t, unless you are one of the lucky ones. So when we need to feel connected, if we feel a deep need to hear God’s voice, to be in His presence, what do we do? Sometimes lying in our beds or kneeling down or praying while we are alone just doesn’t seem to work.
In the meantime, while we are waiting for that deep, emotionally charged we-know-God-is-near feeling (which is amazing and wonderful and worth searching for), we can connect to the things that God is already doing, the things He already loves. And we can partner with what He is already participating in. We know God is where good things, just things, beautiful things, kind things, true things are. We know that God loves people, so how can we love the people around us a little more? We know that God loves the world He created, how can we love the world we are living in a little more? We know that God loves our physical bodies, how can we love our bodies a little more? We know that God loves justice, how can we bring more justice into the world? If we can get around the things that bring joy to God’s heart, we get to experience those things with Him.
The list goes on. If God is the embodiment of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; if God is justice, beauty, life, breath, and sustenance; if God is every good and perfect gift, let us get closer to those things.