I’m planning on coming back to the
previous post about “the end of sex as we know it” because it addresses an important trend in our culture. But a convergence of conversations and activities have conspired to point today’s post in an entirely different direction: If there were one single habit you could develop in your life that would become so foundational that it would provide catalyst for transformation in every other area, would you be interested? If so, read on.
I thought the notion of coffee with God was unique to me, but this little devotional (it’s nine minutes that might just change your life utterly) reminds me that an older, wiser pastor also uses the term. The pastor shares the story of a man whose life was completely transformed as the result of developing the habit of meeting with Jesus every day. If need help making this commitment and getting started, consider this:
Failure to enjoy coffee with God is almost never a shortage of time – it’s a matter of priorities. Of course it might be fair to say that I don’t make the time because the time’s never been meaningful, but don’t say you don’t have time. Do you have time to brush your teeth? Work out? Eat? Sleep? We make time for stuff that matters – so maybe the question should be, “How can I make this time matter more?”
Create a consistent space and time. It’s helpful to view your time meeting with God as a genuine encounter with a living being. Setting a space for it to happen helps. The video referenced earlier is about a man who began meeting God daily in a rocking chair. The story will, perhaps, motivate you to name some space and begin meeting God there because you’ll hear the man’s story from the prime of his career until the end of his days. Think what might happen to you if you develop habits of intimacy with Jesus for the next 40 years!
Read the Bible. If it helps to have someone help you with the meaning, consider this book. If you want some directed prayer as well, consider this book. There are dozens of reading programs on your computer that will send you some portions of the Bible every day. It’s like getting an e-mail from God! You can’t meet with God unless you’re willing to read your Bible, which is revelation vital for our transformation. Here we are, all of us striving for better relationships, better careers, to overcome bad habits, and more – and all the while, the council of God awaits. We’d be wise to start the habit of listening.
Don’t get frustrated by setbacks. So you’re reading and it gets boring; or you sleep in; or your habit slips a bit. Don’t worry about it. It’s a relationship and any relationship hits dry spots and rough patches. We need to just hit reset, and get back in our chair.
Keep a journal. This might be optional, but I like it because this is where I write prayers, concerns, thoughts. It’s where I wrestle with what God is revealing and ask God questions. It’s priceless from my perspective, because it’s my response, and my response is what makes it a real relationship.
The video (did I suggest you watch it?) tells the story what happens to someone when they develop this habit.
Here we are, talking about national debt, spying, schisms in the faith, self-improvement programs, body image issues, sexism, racism, money, power. We’re worried, scattered, often afraid, often driven – wondering what’s around the corner, what’s next. I know, from first hand experience, that the scattering of concerns, the anxiety, and the striving that so often marks our lives, fall away like leaves on October, when we develop this habit.
I’m praying as I publish this – that people will do more than read. I’m praying new habits of intimacy with Jesus will form because it’s this, in the end, that is all we need.