Choosing to open myself to God is my responsibility. I do believe there are definitely things the church can do to help equip and resource me for that pursuit, but ultimately, the responsibility falls on me. You know what else? The same thing is true for you; choosing to open yourself to God is always your choice and responsibility.
God invites us to come back to him, because that’s what it means to be complete and fulfilled. He designed us in his perfect image, to live in relationship with him. Sin mars humanity, but the work at the cross—Jesus death and resurrection—cancels it and ushers in freedom and restoration for those who choose to believe and receive. We are not helpless or powerless, because God does not hide himself from those who seek after him (Isaiah 45:19)
When I was a child, my parents strongly encouraged me in my relationship with the LORD. They provided Bible Studies, insisted on regular church attendance, and facilitated mission and ministry opportunities, all with the express purpose to help me grow. I’m thankful for all that, because it led me into deeper relationship with the LORD. But, they also prefaced everything with this statement: “Don’t take my word for it; go back to the word of God and dig out the truth for yourself.”
Learning to go deeper is part of the process, but I can’t do it for you and you can’t do it for me—we have to do it for ourselves. There are many disciplines that help you to open yourself to God, but today I’m going to share 3 simple habits that change everything.
Re-framing discipleship
Let’s start by re-framing discipleship. I mean, let’s take a deeper look at what it is and what it does. Traditionally speaking, it’s understood to be process of learning to be like Jesus. That is pretty straight forward, right? It’s a process, which means it takes time, effort, and practice. The end goal is equally straight forward, it’s about deeper intimacy with the LORD. Jesus is the way into to the presence of God, that’s why we follow him.
Don’t reduce discipleship simply to the acclamation of biblical knowledge. Knowing the Bible, while important, helpful, and necessary, doesn’t in and of itself convert to spiritual maturity. Intimacy with God is all about wholeness and oneness, which only happen in the context of a personal relationship with him.
Discipleship and worship in my mind are really two parts of the same thing. I understand the nuances, but ultimately the end result is the same: intimacy with God. We need to be careful that we don’t over categorize the spiritual pathways into God’s presence, because while compartmentalization may feel like an easier way to organize it all, in the end it just confuses the mind. Discipleship is about knowing Jesus, not just knowing about Jesus. Worship is about knowing Jesus and loving him and the last time I checked, love is an interactive endeavor. And you can’t love who you don’t know.
My intent is not to over-simplify, or erase, the distinction between discipleship and worship, but rather to empower and equip you with the tools you need to take full responsibility for your relationship with the LORD. Choosing to open yourself to God is never a once and done decision. A life of discipleship requires surrender and trust.
Stepping into it
Choosing to open yourself to God is ultimately your responsibility. So, let me ask you this: are you a self-feeder?
I know, that’s a hard question, but it’s a good one and it’s important that you look at it and answer it honestly. Here are some more questions to help you flush that through and I’m going to write them in first person to help you get really personal about it.
How and when do I worship the LORD?
Do I meet with God regularly? What does that look like?
Do I understand the Bible when I read it? What do I do, when I don’t understand scripture?
What does personal Bible Study look like in my life?
How much discipleship and worship is done with a group compared to on my own?
When my spiritual life feels dry and God feels far away, who do I blame?
Okay, how did you make out? What did you learn about yourself? Here is the beautiful truth, The LORD, invites you to come and know him. He’s so serious about wanting to love you that he is relentless. He doesn’t withhold himself to tease you and he doesn’t hide. Not sure you believe that?
Read Isaiah 45:19 and maybe go ahead and write it out. Post it where you can see it often and let it be the encouragement you need to push through when pressing in feels hard.
We are unbelievable lucky in this generation, to have such abundant access to countless resources and aids, but I think we need to be careful with all that access not to become lazy. Just because something is hard doesn’t me we can’t do it. We have ample assurance that if we simply step into it with faith, the LORD will help (Psalm 121).
Choosing to open yourself to God
Choosing to open yourself to God is a continuous process. Initially, we respond to the LORD’s invitation to come and we are saved, but then there is a lifetime of practicing that surrender. It’s a process and it takes practice.
“So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.” Hebrews 12:12-13
The key word is practice. True knowing doesn’t just stay in the head, it has to move to the heart, so that it spills out and over everything in our lives. When you open yourself to God, you take responsibility for your commitment to be faithful to him. You step into the deeper places of healing so that you can know him more. I realize that this may or may not be new revelation for you, either way, I encourage you to press in for more.
You do not, nor should you, rely on your church to spoon feed you. They will likely offer opportunities for worship, discipleship, ministry, and fellowship—all of which will definitely feed your soul—but you must learn how to do these on your own. No matter where you are in your walk with the LORD, you have the tools to pursue him. Quit comparing yourself to others and just start. Choose to open yourself to God and let him teach you the deeper things your soul is crying out for.
Discipline #1: Sabbath Keeping
Choosing to open yourself to God doesn’t just happen, it’s nurtured. There is a sacred rhythm designed by God, which establishes a healthy standard. God created for six days and then on the seventh day he rested.
Work is valuable and important on so many levels, but not at the cost of identity and purpose. God created humanity in his image for the purpose of oneness and intimacy. He gave Adam and Eve the responsibility of stewarding the garden and the animals, but their purpose was for communion and oneness with God. There is nothing in this world—nothing—more important than living out of your purpose.
Sabbath keeping helps us to align the heart and positions the soul to receive strength to manage commitments and responsibilities. Take a look at your Sabbath keeping practices and ask the LORD to show you more. Go deeper—I promise you won’t be sorry.
Recommended resource:
Subversive Sabbath: The Surprising Power of Rest in a Nonstop World, by A.J. Swoboda
Discipline #2: Examen
“The examen is a practice for discerning the voice and activity of God within the flow of the day. It is a vehicle that creates deeper awareness of God-given desires in one’s life.” 1.
Choosing to open yourself to God requires honesty. The practice of examen will help you develop the ability to see his activity in your life and hear the sound of his voice. You will also learn to discern his work and movement within you.
The practice of examen help us to open ourselves to the LORD by asking questions, which press us toward deeper awareness. The answers to these questions may spark more, but that’s good. Examen helps us to dig though so we see things we may otherwise miss. Learning to honestly attend your deepest feelings and desires is crucial to health and wholeness.
Recommended Resource:
“Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us,” Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
Discipline #3: Practicing the Presence
Choosing to open yourself to God takes practice. Theologically speaking, God is present everywhere—all the time. It’s always a little funny to me when we pray for God to “show up.” He already has, because that’s the nature of his essence. The issue is not that God isn’t present, it is that we are oblivious to him until we choose to see.
Practicing the presence is a discipline that purposefully works at staying in the presence of God. It’s about intentionally engaging and interacting with the LORD through all the moments of your day. Living out of the overflow of presence is exponentially easier than trying to manufacture strength and wisdom that simply is not there. God is the source of life—everything we need comes from his provision.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5
Recommended Resource:
“Practicing the Presence of God,” Brother Lawrence
3 Habits that change everything
These are three of my favorite disciplines, because they help develop this practice we’re talking about. Choosing to open yourself to God doesn’t just happen it requires an intentional plan. Marking out a straight path for your feet helps determine the steps you will take. That’s why God tells us to do it.
He has given us freedom. Do you know that self-discipline is also an amazing demonstration of freedom? It is a powerful testimony of strength that roots itself in God. Here’s the good news, we don’t have to do it on our own. When you choose to open yourself to God, he steps in and leads you every step of the way.
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