Change Your Surroundings

The most powerful moments I've had with God weren't surrounded by the chaos of everyday life. While God certainly can show up anywhere, and He is everywhere, changing your surroundings to a place you can truly hear Him and see Him in different ways allows you to experience Him louder and more clearly. One of my favorite places to experience God is early mornings in the Dominican Republic, a place I love dearly, and wish I could see more often.

A typical morning in the DR for me begins with stirrings from my bed as I realize the meringue music from the community clubs around us has transformed into the sporadic crows from roosters, and I begin to feel the excitement of the atmosphere around me. I spring from my bed and rush to the first coffee made in the housing kitchen. The time is valuable, and I don't want to miss a drop. As I juggle my Bible, journal, and fresh cup of coffee along the grounds, I seek the perfect spot that has the most serene view of the gently wafting palm tree just on the horizon where the light begins to filter through the stars. The moment with the sunrise is one I find hard to describe. There is something humbling, yet majestic about it. I find God in those moments, as I read His Word through filtered DR sunrise light, and jot down the things He inspires me with. These moments are cherished for me because I maybe get them once a year, sometimes longer. While I know I can experience God's greatness anywhere, those moments come alive.

I may not have a Dominican sunrise in the middle of January at home in Michigan, but I can find the time and find a sereneness in my daily routine. It's hard to dive into God's stillness when the TV is on, or when the phone is next to you ringing in work emails, so get away from those things. Jesus even got away from chaos now and then to reconnect with His Father.

Throughout the Gospels, we read various spots where Jesus is alone. Whether in the desert, walking on water, praying on the hillside, avoiding large crowds, teaching alone from the boat while the crowds stood on shore, to praying alone in the garden the night before His death, Jesus displayed solitude to experience His Father. He would even encourage His disciples to rest and be alone, as He did in Mark 6:31-32. It's important to find these moments and those places to connect with your Heavenly Father.

To grow closer to your friends, your spouse, your kids, you spend time with them. The same goes with God. Get to know Him through every moment, whether it's a beautiful sunrise over a palm tree wealthy horizon, or from the quiet moments in your recliner in the morning as the blizzard blows outside the windows. Get your essentials and experience God where you are. Change your surroundings to deplete the distractions and find His voice.

Scripture to read:
Mark 1:35-37, Psalm 46:10

Questions to ponder:
Do you ever feel overwhelmed with the "everyone is looking for you", as Jesus would hear from His disciples?
What do you do to find solitude and hear God's voice?
Where have you experienced God in a powerful way?