How God Makes Everyday Life BETTER
It is disturbingly easy to take our blessings for granted as we fall into the monotony that is our day-to-day routine. At the very least, it’s a crime of which I am guilty of committing from time to time!
But the truth is, when we do this (and I think we do it quite often), we are being subject to a kind of spiritual blindness–a blindness to joy and blessing, if you will.
The truth is, God affords to us, even within the humdrum of the daily grind, plentiful means through which we may delight in Him. I want to talk about some of those today and hopefully add more joy to your life as a result.
I once read a book series called Fablehaven, written by the wonderfully inventive author Brandon Mull. In this book, the characters visit their grandparents’ backyard, which is a pleasant locale filled with natural beauty.
However, the two main characters see it only as a pretty yard and nothing more. But as it turns out, there is much more to it than meets the eye, and when our heroes drink some magical milk, it grants them the ability to see things as they truly are–more specifically, it allows them to see that their grandparents’ property is actually a nature reserve for magnificent-beyond-imagination mythical creatures: satyrs, unicorns, and strange little men called “brownies” populate the environment.
A whole world of adventure and wonder lies at the main characters’ fingertips to explore, all because drinking the milk allowed them to see the truth of reality.
Here’s a sentence I never thought I’d write: I see our relationship with the Lord as having a similar effect to drinking that enchanted milk…at least, insofar as they both grant the ability to perceive the hidden beauties of life.
An abundant and intimate relationship with the Lord acts as the key that unlocks–at least, for those who are paying attention–a greater appreciation and awareness of the external evidence for God’s goodness.
What I mean by this is simple: the closer you draw to the Lord, the easier it is to see His goodness, grace, and provision around you.
Consider this passage:
Psalm 8:3-4
When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
human beings that you care for them?
This is the Bible verse that best encapsulates how my salvation has affected the joy I receive from God’s creation. It instills this sense of awe and wanderlust and smallness–but smallness in a positive sense, somehow. I’m not exactly being precise with my words, here, but I’d wager any believer knows what I’m getting at.
I walk through a wooded area, the air thick with the sweet smell of damp moss growing around the gnarly trunk or the massive roots of some towering old oaks, and I watch golden rays of sunlight pierce through the gaps in the swaying canopies above. In so doing, I receive just a taste of the sweetness of God, much like David did in the Psalm we just read. I receive a glimpse of His beauty, which is surely reflected in His creation in much the same way the laugh and smile of a father are strikingly apparent in those of his son.
As I have grown in my faith, it has dawned on me that every aspect of life provides for me an opportunity to drink deeply the goodness of God.
I experience it when I ponder on the beauty of the woman I am to marry or when I hear her sweet laugh lilting in the background.
I experience it when I nurse a hot mug of black coffee while reading a good book, marveling at God’s ingenuity as revealed by the steam swirling up from the cup, or perhaps marveling at the ability of my tongue to savor the rich, earthy taste of the coffee when I bring it to my lips. And then I must marvel at my fearfully and wonderfully crafted mind’s ability to, from a simple taste of a beverage, evoke images of a cozy Christmas that occurred long ago.
I experience it when I go to work each day as a pastor, feeling a fulfillment and satisfaction from my labor that can only come from doing something God has called me to do–something that through His providential blessing, I will be able to do in order to support the family He blesses me with.
I experience it when I run my hands along the spines of the books lined across my many library shelves, testaments to the creativity and mental fortitude of God’s creation, who, being made in His image, possess an innate drive to create just like our Creator.
All of these pleasurable experiences in life are made by God, occur through God, and reflect His goodness. You will find all the more delight in them by glorifying God because of them. In fact, that will make your joy complete! Glorifying God is the ultimate delight.
