Experiential Faith

“May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Ephesians 3:19 NLT)

Why are some people able to sense the Divine while others cannot? I am not saying that all claims to supernatural experiences are valid, but I do believe that some individuals are more spiritually attuned than others.

We cannot arrive at faith by careful analysis of facts and logic. Many of us try to use rational thinking to figure out a God that is beyond understanding. This does not work. Unless we experience God’s intimate presence and love, our faith will remain flimsy. Yet, I know that God desires to be known. Thus, He makes Himself accessible.

There is a place for intellect in a life of faith. Reasoning is needed to sort and understand what we experience. However, experiential faith must precede intellectual faith. Otherwise rationality can become more of a barrier than an opening. We can only experience the breadth and depth of God when we are open and receptive. Experience and reason blended together leads us to a faith that is made complete with all the fulness of life and power that comes from God.

Instincts vs. Intuition

“They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. (Jude:19 NLT)

We often mistakenly fuse our natural instincts with intuition.  Instincts are innate urges common to each species. These inclinations are often impulsive and involuntary.  Intuition is the ability to recognize truth, not by logic or reasoning, but by insights into the unconscious. Instincts are found in even less evolved animals, while intuition is a function of a higher conscious state.

“Impulsiveness needs to be trained into intuition through discipline.” (Oswald Chambers)

As adolescent brains mature, one of the last things to develop is impulse control. As we grow and evolve, base instincts can be trained and honed until we pierce through the barriers between sensory perception and higher consciousness. This is where the Spirit dwells within us. We no longer have to operate from the lower level of animalistic instincts. We now have access to a higher power, where God’s Spirit enlightens and illuminates, allowing us to understand and recognize truth.

Praying in the Spirit

“The Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.” (Romans 8:27 NLT)

Most of us pray with our heads. We form our ideas into requests or recall words that we have memorized. Even when our prayers are sincere and heartfelt, they often come from our human perspectives.  Praying in the Spirit is quite different. This phenomenon is very difficult to explain in words.

“We don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.” (Romans 8:26 NLT)

Our role is to cooperate and allow the Spirit to move in. In order to make room for the Spirit, our ideas have to vacate the premises. Under the influence of the Spirit, our prayers become less self-centered and more God-centered.  As we continually make ourselves available, receptive, and yielding--the Spirit takes over and prays through us in harmony with God’s will.

Adventures with God

“This resurrection life you received from God is not a timid, grave-tending life. It’s adventurously expectant, greeting God with a childlike “What’s next, Papa?” God’s Spirit touches our spirits and confirms who we really are.” (Romans 8:15-16 MSG)

Fear and insecurity prevent me from living fully according to God’s purpose. I sense that God wants to unbind me from my fears. Yet, He needs my cooperation in the matter.

For the last year, I have been trying to do something uncomfortable once a week. I notice that the things that trigger anxiety in me have a few things in common:

-unfamiliar tasks that make me feel incompetent

-appearing overbearing or inconsiderate

-possibility of long-term injury or loss

I have also learned that it is healthy to fear things outside of God’s will. I heed the warning from the book of Proverbs:

“We humans keep brainstorming options and plans, but God’s purpose prevails.”  (Proverbs 19:21 MSG)

These days, I wait for God’s confirmation before I push through feelings of discomfort. As soon I start brainstorming options and plans on my own, I check myself. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts, words, and actions. Once I sense that what I am about to do is within God’s will, I proceed. I expectantly look forward to my next adventure with Him.

DIY Life

“So don’t you see that we don’t owe this old do-it-yourself life one red cent. There’s nothing in it for us, nothing at all. The best thing to do is give it a decent burial and get on with your new life. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go!” (Romans 8:12-14 MSG)

There is no shortage of internet videos showing us how to do things on our own. I am a fan of DIY (Do It Yourself) projects. Any time I learn to do something useful on my own, without hiring a professional, I feel a great sense of accomplishment. This penchant for independence and self-reliance extends beyond household projects. I also like to live on my own terms. Thus, I’m reluctant to commit to anything that limits my autonomy. I don’t want to be a puppet.  I think I can be good and do good under my own power. I crave the sense of validation that comes from being my own person.

This new life that God is calling me to requires me to bury my old self. But I’d rather hang on to my DIY  life. If only I could let go of my self-limiting behaviors and submit to living on God’s terms instead of  on my own. God’s Spirit beckons. There are things to do and places to go.

What Controls You?

“Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God.” (Romans 8:6-7 MSG)

Self-control has its limitations. It is easily influenced by circumstances. Many of us who are able to resist temptations to eat unhealthy foods will succumb if we are really hungry. Yet mastery of the self is considered one of the ultimate virtues. We depend on self-discipline, self-reliance, and self-focus to achieve self-fulfillment. When we are focused on how to make our lives better, happier, and more fulfilling--our journey ultimately leads to a dead end. This is a sad truth that most of us cannot accept.

As long as our attention is focused on ourselves, we are unable to focus on God. We are either controlled by Self or by God.  Our thoughts, our joy, and our contentment can be influenced by God instead of being manipulated by our reactions to circumstances. Once we extricate ourselves from our self obsessions, we are free to allow God’s Spirit to take over our minds and lead us into a spacious peace that is beyond our earthly circumstances.

Distracted by Pain

“I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the LORD never ends!  His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.” (Lamentations 3:20-23 MSG)

It is difficult to focus on prayer when you are suffering. When you are sucked down into the sinkhole of sorrow, when you are drowning in the bitterness of pain--all you can do is throw your hands up in despair. Yet even this simple gesture of surrender is prayer. Prayer does not need to be elaborate, specific, or wordy. Anything that gets us to rest trustingly in God’s presence is prayer.

Are you in a phase of life where your pain is bearable? If so, pray for those who are in too much pain to pray for themselves right now. Lift them up and press them into God’s arms.

Lord, have compassion on those who are distracted by pain. Shield them from bitterness. Infuse them with Your strength and peace. Cradle them in Your arms as You comfort and console them. Help them rest trustingly in Your presence.