Our Spiritual Rhythms
Shaping your time for a better life
1. Spiritual rhythms, disciplines, or practices are often given a bad wrap. Like they are just “going through the motions.” It’s a sort of left-over legalism from the “devo” and “quiet time” days when people saw these rhythms as a way to achieve spiritual points or something. Rather than a way to connect with a God who loves us, wants to lead us, refresh us, and guide us towards greater well-being in our lives.
2. Those who try to practice spiritual rhythms are often surprised by the challenge to actually do the rhythms in our hectic lives. It feels like everything is against you: the noise, the internet, the crowds, the to-dos, the list goes on…
3. When people do make an effort to give it a try, they are surprised by how refreshing it is when they get into the habit. They describe feeling a deeper sense of connection to their own soul and to God. They describe peace or what some would call shalom.
4. Many have reflected that life is so unpredictable, full of chaos and transition. When they have spiritual rhythms in place, those practices may be the only constant in their lives for a whole season! It reminds them that while everything around us is in constant flux and change – God is unchanging.
5. Finally, those who are questioning God in some way, or even the very existence of God, can find it very difficult to continue spiritual practices. However, the right practices help provide a space to be active in the questions rather than passive. Space can be created in our day and week to let our questions, curiosity, and even doubts expand our minds and hearts.
Personally, at times, I’ve been right there with all 5 of these observations.
I’ve struggled to pray when I didn’t know if God was actually listening.
I’ve felt I was going through the motions – only to find that the chaotic motion of life needed these practices to keep me grounded.
I’ve had habits that were life-giving, but then found a new season upset the apple cart. I had to figure out the new rhythms that created the space for my joy, sorrow, questions, praise, gratitude, anger, lament, and grief.
What does that space look like for you right now?
In my experience, there is no right or wrong way to fill that space… but not having it can be a disaster.
Don’t get me wrong, creating space for spiritual practices won’t make God love you more.
Additionally, failing to do so won’t make God love you less.
It’s about the best life you can live.
It’s about being connected to who you are and Whose you are.
It’s about having time to enlarge your heart and mind to exist in a world filled with anxiety, tension, and dissension.
It’s about actually having the capacity to love like Jesus: Love our neighbor. Love our enemy. Love our family we disagree with. Love those whose politics are opposite to ours.