Living a with-God life

Any new year is a natural time for reflection and resolutions, and in 2021 there is a collective longing for an end to divisiveness, disorder and disease. We deeply desire to live faithfully and fruitfully, to love God more dearly and follow our king Jesus more nearly day by day.

Perhaps, like me, you have found your life rhythms largely interrupted by the pandemic, protests, fires, friends who are ill or dying, lockdowns, elections and other existential distresses. It has been a challenge to continually recalibrate, all while trying to live a with-God life. Do you really want a with-God life, and how badly do you want it? How are you arranging your days so that the natural outcome of how you spend your time and energy results in your becoming the person that God intends you to be? Dallas Willard says, “If you want to live a life in conversation with God you will have to arrange for it.” Jean Nevill asks, “Will my life be a testament of devotion, like Thomas Kelly’s life and work, or a testament of distraction?”

Our spiritual lives are not about perfection—but about the orientation of our hearts and minds, the posture we take before the God of love. We have an opportunity every day to wake up and practice again to view all of life through the filter of the Gospels, the Beatitudes and through a commitment to peace and justice for all. Practice the presence of God—be silent and listen as you begin your day. Develop a rule of life, a road map for how you will live your with-God life each day. Prepare for interruptions. They will always be with us. And trust the Spirit to work in you what is good and pleasing to God.

Grace and peace,

Anita Sorenson
Pastor for Spiritual Formation