Is this what time with God should be like?
I don’t write as much about my beliefs here anymore. I’m not exactly sure why but the bullshit answer would be “I’m still working things out with God”. The completely truthful answer would be I’m just not thinking about bout it that much anymore. Sad I know. Or is it? For so long I believed that time needs to be given to God. Time, that one luxury we all manage to have too little of. The more time you spend with God the closer you’ll be to Him and/or He to you. Right? If this is true then I’m miles away from Him.
I’ve come to learn that there are more important things than spending time with God.
First of all let me define ‘time’. Typically this would be reading your bible, meditation, church, prayer, etc. Time could also mean time spent on Godly things, and here is where it gets interesting. What would a life with lots of time spent with God look like? That depends on your idea of who/what God is. If you believe God is love, patience, serving others and humility then typically your life would start to look like that eventually correct? Otherwise why spend the precious time? Surely we’re not spending time with God only for the fun of it? Regardless if time spent does not change you to become more like God then you’re doing it wrong. The eventual goal of every believer is to eventually mimic or become like their idea of God. And the main way to accomplish this is to learn how this God operates, who He is, etc. And that is accomplished by spending time with Him. Yes you spend time with God where you ask advice, simply rest in his presence, and give him praise but it all needs to lead towards something right? Towards the student becoming like the master.
So with me spending almost no time with/on God/ly things where does this leave me? Well, better off I believe. Let me explain:
I already know God is love. I already know God is Good all the time. I already know my own most accurate idea of what/who God’s like is the person of Jesus. I already know these things. Thus there’s no need to spend more time with God in solitude or in meditation or in prayer as these things are already known. Understand? I can now live my live every day loving all, doing good and being like Jesus without needing to allocate a set time each day to spend “time” with God. And if you ask me these things…if you ask me how much love, patience, humility I exhibit in my life then I can answer truthful and say a lot.
This is what it’s all about.
I’m not saying you can drop all the time you’re spending with God. I’ve still got a long way to go in figuring out the rest of God out, as I’m sure the 3 characteristics I mentioned is not all He’s about. And I’m sure I can spend more time just being in his presence or asking and talking… but these desires changed for me.
So the time spent with him while reading, talking, praying and meditating is a continuation of learning on a personal level who God is and then applying that by living it every day.
Don’t feel judged or depressed when you know you’re not spending any time with God. Take assurance in being God by living like Him exhibiting the characteristics you believe He has. This is what serving God is all about, this is what making a difference is all bout… being out there in the world living and not in a private room alone forever.
The one must lead to the other.