I ask God often to speak to me and show me ways He’s moving. Sometimes I’d like Him to just speak up with an audible voice and point me with His finger exactly where he’s leading. And I’ve actually been there a couple times and I’ve seen Him do that in other’s lives. But a couple of weeks ago a friend told me he asked God to let him see a bald eagle when he was driving. I don’t know what purpose it was for, but he did see that bald eagle fly right over his car. What an insignificant thing that is so inspiring. Of all the things we could pray for, is this so holy? I think yes. Now a bald eagle might not grant me the glory by flying over my head, but I think that God loves to bless in ways just like that. And I mean more than being blessed with food, clothes, shelter, a promotion at work, a restful vacation, or in a miraculous healing. I think he loves to bless us in small, holy details of life during our uninspired moments.
I have struggled very much with using my gifts to bless others. They had become a stumbling block for me. How absurd! I was so afraid that I would use my gifts to glorify myself and not the One who gave it to me that I decided to not use those gifts at all. Someone at church told me something I had never heard and has changed my viewpoint on the matter entirely. He said, “Enjoy the sound of your voice and let it bless you.” I had never been given permission to do that before. Here I was so fearful that I might put on a “show” for others that I decided to be afraid of my voice altogether. I think God wants to bless us by giving us gifts that we use not only to bless others but those gifts are meant to bless us as well.
Learn to enjoy God in the gifts He’s given you and be inspired because of them.
I was told once a couple of years ago that I didn’t know how to take a compliment. She was right. I didn’t allow it. Up until that point I had never seen the error of that behavior. She told me to not steal the joy of the one who desires to bless you. Instead, receive it. I did a terrible job of this at first and came very unnatural to me. If someone paid me a compliment, I forced the words through my lips very awkwardly, “Thank you.” It wasn’t heartfelt for a long time and I think I’m still learning to do this well.
Learn to receive a compliment by not treating yourself as an unworthy being. Allow God to use others to inspire you. And learn to find moments to do the same.
I was told by some friends a few months back that my home was a space that blessed them. I had never thought of a space being a blessing. Since then, I have put more meaning into the place I live. When I look up from the computer right now I think of my space in a different way. How can I make this space bless me more? I see two pictures on the wall that serve no purpose to me, but to fill up trapped white space. So what could I change there? But just below that I have started a collection that I wrote about a few months back. I have stones with the names of people and places where I’ve seen God in the details of my life as a remembrance to me of His plan and promise. And then to my left I have a bird jar I bought from a friend who was in need of money. I bought the bird to bless her. I picked it out since I thought, well, I like birds. But recently I have changed that bird to bless me. I wrote the names on the inside of the bird all those who have graciously given to me for my mission’s trip. It is impossible for me to look at that blue bird and not be immediately inspired. I have a couple walls that I wallpapered in maps. I did it because I like maps and no other reason than that. I have since put in pins to all the locations God has blessed me to be able to visit and experience for myself. It reminds me of how good He is to me when I see those pins. And how much more I need to broaden my perspective of spreading the gospel to the diverse peoples of the world in every and any place I visit or live.
Learn to let your space be a place that blesses you and creates inspired moments.
I am by nature very curious and sometimes I think I act very childlike. In fact there is something I enjoy doing that most people my age haven’t done since they were in elementary school. I love to swing on swings. I discovered this while in college. I saw one near my dorm at the elementary school behind us and noticed I did some of my best thinking while swinging. And not just best thinking, but best moments of praying too. Sometimes when I ride my bike in Hines Park, I find a swing just so I can pray. I feel very foolish to say that I am very blessed and inspired in those moments.
Learn to find your passions and pursuits no matter how big, small or silly they seem and don’t shy away from them. You may find they bring you blessing and inspiration.
I have a memory from over a year ago that is almost but lost from my mind today. It was some sort of experience managing things at work that were a challenge for me and all of a sudden at the right moment, everything came together so brilliantly. I knew I couldn’t have designed it even if I tried. It made me recognize how God is in the details. I began to thank Him specifically for being in the details of that situation and the ones it touched.
I remembered I had forgotten to use a gift card to get a massage from a customer from over a year ago and I finally used it at the end of that particular week. When my masseuse was done, she put her hands on my head for a significant amount of time. I realized she was praying for me. She then spoke to me this, “God is in the details.” That was my bald eagle moment.
Sometimes you will have your bald eagle moment. It seems like nothing of significance to others, but to you, a seemingly uninspired moment became a significant detail to your story.
I want to live a great story, and I want to live inspired. I want to recognize blessing, and I want to be moved deeply in both my bald eagle moments and just swinging in the park.
This is how I’m learning to practice the presence of God in my life every day. These are the seemingly insignificant, holy, inspired details of life.
My prayer for you is this: “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You” Psalm 143:8
God’s response to you: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.” Psalm 32:8
