A couple of weeks ago my mother and I had lunch with one of my mentors/close friend of ours; our discussions usually start and end with great reflections, fresh perspectives, and a wealth of spiritual insight (along with many laughs and the occasional diva fan). This particular luncheon really stuck with me as she offered a perspective I had never really considered before: What if we brought God into everything that we do? She described the scene as such: What if, everywhere we went, we pulled up a seat (imaginary or real) and offered it to Him. What if we took him on long car rides with us? On our dinner dates and rendezvous? Or in the classroom while you learn about Newton’s Law of Inertia or took a test on the secular State in France? The possibilities of such an intentional placement of God really got my mind thinking. After meditating on this and trying this experience out for myself, I am eager to talk to you all about why we should offer God a seat at the table. Sometimes during our spiritual journeys, we can make the mistake of engaging with God from an afflicted and intimidated perspective. In our efforts to impress and prove to God that we are “good” and “worthy”, we develop this false image of God which is mad critical and unrealistically hard to please. Have you ever felt like, no matter what you did, you couldn’t make God happy? I’ve been there at one point, and it was at a time when I was trying to receive all of Him without realizing that I was not allowing Him to receive all of me. The scary yet beautiful truth of the matter that I had to realize is this: There is nothing that we can do to prove to God that we are perfect and worthy. We are the furthest thing from perfection and will always be. The perfectionist in me screams and shakes every time I profess and acknowledge this truth. The more I strived for perfectionism in my walk with Christ, the more I seemed to fail and feel defeated. It wasn’t until I realized this truth that I felt strong progress in my relationship with Him: No matter what I do, God has an unconditional love for me that will never die. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 Hard emphasis on “through him who loved us”. It is not about how much we do, how good we try to be, or how many verses we try to memorize. It is “through him who loved us” that we have the ability to be more than conquerors and be forever in the tender arms of our Father. God loved us before we even had to chance to think about loving him. HE AINT EVER GONNA STOP LOVING US. He wants to be our foundation, our ride or die, our greatest friend (with absolutely no catches) … so, why wouldn’t we offer Him a seat at the table? Instead of viewing God as this unreachable force that is intimidating, scary and impossible to please, we should view Him as a force that is so loving that He allowed His son to perish for the sake of our lives. A force that is so wise that He created the ocean that seamlessly stretches across the horizon, and the One already knows our thoughts before we even think them. Once I realized that God was the homie, I came to Him without shame and felt as though I could talk to Him with no reservations. I talked to Him about my weaknesses, my fears, and not-so-proud-of desires. I could literally talk to God about evangelism one moment and then talk about sex the next and not even blink an eye. I LOVE giving Him unrestrained and intentional access into my thoughts because that is when I really discover how to move according to His will and experience peace while doing so. And it’s not a condemning experience either. Bringing God along with you every day does not mean in the slightest bit that you are bringing condemnation and judgement along with you. Through our union with Christ Jesus, condemnation has been completely ruled out, and as believers we have to stop thinking God is just watching and waiting to strike us down. He doesn’t engage with us in that manner. God’s love is captivating, comforting, and true. Imagine having the most loving, honest and all-knowing presence sitting next to you when you take an important test. Or when you are thinking about cussing the guy who just cut you off on the highway. Or when you are trying to decide if the person that you are pursuing a relationship with is meant for you. Giving God a seat at the table opens up a world of possibilities and opportunities for God to shower us with His love and wisdom. He sometimes will give it to you straight no chaser (have your flesh feeling like: But it’ll be the best love and insight you will ever receive and experience.
There are times in life where we have to make some really hard decisions and there are storms that often feel impossible to escape from. Instead of making the wrong choices or drowning in our circumstances, let’s invite God to take the seat beside us so that He can guide us to peace, joy, and victory. It’s so dope to hang out with God. His company transforms decisions, actions, and fates in such a magnificent and inexpressible way. If you feeling lost + overwhelmed + shameful + even happy, invite Him into your space and experience the moment with Him. See how it feels. Try it for a day or an hour or even a few minutes. Know that He isn’t scary, condemning, or unreachable and don’t push Him away because your mind is telling you to handle life on your own. He is your friend. Your confidant. Your right hand. He deserves a seat at the table.
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Olivia McPhaulWriter. Christ enthusiast. Zealot of love. Offering my truth and sharing my imperfect journey in womanhood. Archives
May 2019
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