Spiritual growth, people say, is evidenced when an individual puts God in their life but what does that mean, really?
According to Scripture, God is everywhere already (omnipresent). There is no door we can open through which He hasn’t been. There is no place He doesn’t inhabit by nature, constantly.
Therefore, God is already “in” every person’s life and the Bible leads us to understand He knows everything about each one (omniscient). Even your heart isn’t off limits to Him. He knows what’s on your mind and in your heart.
- The Psalmist said God knows the secrets of the heart (Psalms 44:21)
- David confessed that God knew his thoughts from afar (Psalm 139:2)
- David also said God observed him in his mother’s womb (Psalm 139:15-16)
- Solomon said “the eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3)
- The writer of 2 Chronicles said “the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (16:9).
That last reference implies that God is sufficiently knowledgeable about each heart to determine which are blameless and which are not. That’s more than proximity, its personal.
God is everywhere and knows exactly what is happening at all times in every person’s life. No one lives apart from God’s knowledge or presence and, furthermore, no one lives without His support.
- Jesus said God allows the sun to rise and the rain to fall on everyone, the evil and the good, the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).
- James said all wisdom comes from God and is freely made available to anyone who asks for it (James 1:5).
- James also said every good and perfect gift comes from God (1:17)
Some are aware of God’s presence and some are not. Some welcome Him and some don’t. Some readily acknowledge Him while others work hard at denying Him but here is the point. When it comes to God being “in” your life the issue is not so much “place” as it is “influence.”
God being in your life isn’t the same as God being allowed to participate. He is accessible to every life but isn’t the controlling principle in each one and, obviously, He doesn’t force Himself on us.
So, the real question is, do you allow God to influence your everyday decisions? Are you in His life? Are you where He would like you to be? Do you enjoy the same things He does and entertain some of the same thoughts? Is He an unwanted tag-along or a welcome contributor?
Do you intentionally consider what He says when you…
- Schedule your daily activities.
- Respond to the offenses of others.
- Manage relationships in and out of the home.
- Manage your finances.
- Develop a life plan or make changes to it.
- Muse over philosophical issues.
Some people aren’t aware He has spoken to these issues (uninformed). Some don’t wish to know (uninterested). Some have taken advice from the wrong people (misguided).
But, the truth is, God is present and His wisdom, both in and out of the Bible, is accessible to everyone. His part in your life is determined not by the alignment of His life with yours but by the alignment of your life with His.
You can’t put God in your life. He is not a piece of furniture to arrange or an ornament to display. God is a person who is already so close to us that we need not go to Him. We need only turn to Him.
If you want God to be involved in your life rather than just around it, then give Him specific time and definite space. He ultimately wants to be in your heart but when anything or anyone has your heart they also have your attention.
- Those who love football know when the games are on and don’t miss too many.
- Those who love their jobs, or at least are grateful to have one, are committed to showing up on time and even staying late consistently, sometimes obsessively.
- Those who really love their married partners find ways to express their devotion regularly.
- Parents who are personally interested in their children do more than what is socially expected to care for them: feeding, clothing and sheltering. They show a personal interest and do specific things to draw each child out and build the confidence of each one.
The relationship between God and us should reveal the same tangible evidence of connection and interaction, on our part. If the evidence isn’t there then maybe God is only a lonely observer. How sad is that?
For those who are searching, take heart, there’s hope. God is not far away. To those who are otherwise, good luck. It takes a lot to ignore Him.
And He continues to wait.
THINK!AboutIt
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