17 June 2007

Still floating...

I'm back from Louisiana and just getting on a computer for the first time in over a week -- pretty much unheard of in this day and age! The journey was interesting -- many highs and lows.

I guess what strikes me most is the boxes I continually put God inside. For instance, I expected to be spiritually blown away by this trip. Instead, I was spiritually overwhelmed (and not in a good way). And this is not a negative reflection on the ministry that is taking place down South. Instead, its a reflection on my heart -- my expectations getting in the way of God's work in my life. The lesson I'm learning is that instead of looking for God in experiences, I need to seek out God.


This trip provided an experience with God, but I still feel disconnected from God.

I still need to reconnect with that Source.

And that's my prayer today.

5 comments:

miller said...

Amazing...

i cannot believe how many people seem to be on such similar journies.

press on brother

Kirk Belmont said...

So I'll press a little bit and ask for specifics, what we're you expecting and not finding, seeking and not experiencing? What kind of negative, disappointing or frustrating experience did you encounter. Ok so your blog might not be the place where you want to be that open but I'm interested and e-mail dialogue would be cool with me.

Kirk

Anonymous said...

Elijah was hiding out in cave. He'd just beaten the odds-on favorite in a My-God-Is-Bigger-Than-Your-God competition. The Bible says there was a tornado but God wasn't in the tornado. There was an earthquake but God wasn't in the earthquake. There was a fire but God wasn't in the fire. Then there was a still, small voice.

Our expectations are to see God in the tornado, earthquake or fire when many times He is in the still small voice. Look into the eyes of a child, look at wild flowers in a field, look at ants scurrying about, look at bees collecting pollen, or touch the hand of a friend.

Connecting with God through His created, still small voice.

Megan said...

I can relate to a lot of what you wrote. Because I went last year I had such high expectations that I spent the whole time waiting for them to me met. I didn't realize why I wasn't satisfied until the long drive home while I was writing about the trip. I figured it out too late, but I came away learning a HUGE lesson and i've just been trying to focus on the posetive parts of the trip.

troy. said...

Thanks for all your encouragement thru comments.

And I totally agree with you, Megan, I think we all learned our lessons too late to apply them in Louisiana; but at least we were able to hear God speaking to our hearts. And we all have a ton of positive memories from the trip, no doubt!

Be sure to read the lessons Angie learned on the trip -- they are a reflection on what I think a lot of us are coming to terms with. Much like Anonymous reminds us, the "still small voice" of God is out there awaiting our ears (and hearts).