Benefits of....Connection With God

Our final installment in this series - certainly not the least important of the list.

 

Connection With God

Prescribed dose:

"Evening,  and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud; and he shall hear my voice."

 Psalms 55:17. God desires to have a moment by moment connection with us.

 

Additional recommendations:

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. IN all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6. God is the author of all life, the Creator of every living thing. He understands all the intricate details and functions of his creation. (Revelation 4:11) We are creatures created by God with limitations and inabilities. There are times in life when we find ourselves perplexed, troubled or distressed and we are unable to solve our own difficulties. We need God's help. and He willingly pours His grace out upon us.

 

We also need God for personal growth, for healing, both physical and emotion, and for wisdom and direction. We connect to God through prayer, meditation, the study of His word, and through fellowship with His people. Connecting with God is more than a mere act or performance, and goes beyond "doing" all the spiritual disciplines or trying to be "good." Connecting with God is about a relationship that develops through multiple experiences with God over time. Being good is a result of this relationship, not a requirement for it. God becomes "real" to us as we experience Him in daily practical life. He is no longer a distant impersonal God, but a close friend who knows every detail about us and yet still loves us unconditionally. We become transformed by His love and we radiate with His presence.

 

Benefits:

• Reduced stress and anxiety.
• Physical wellbeing.
• Mental stamina and endurance.
• Direction and guidance for difficult situations.
• Spiritual growth.
  Comfort in loss, sorrow and bereavement.
  Unconditional love and acceptance.
• Truth in God's word which provides structure for daily living.
• Grace which is God's unmerited favor towards us.
• Forgiveness.

Possible side effects:

 

 

In an attempt to connect with God, one may miss the mark all together and develop a "form of godliness," that denies or hinders the true power of God working in the life. (2 Timothy 3:5). True godliness is reduced or exchanged for a lifeless performance that excludes real character growth. Symptoms include: spiritual pride, self- righteousness, judge mentalism, critical of others, backbiting, gossip, intolerance for human mistakes or frailty, the disease of perfectionism, adhering to principles without real growth in the life, double living; saying one thing and doing another, hiding deep secret sins in order to appear righteousness in the eyes of people and the list goes on.