The sun was beaming through the trees. My rain fly was no match for its brightness. 6:45 am rolls by and you could hear some shuffling in sleeping bags and the zippers getting stuck on the tent covers. The courtesy of attempting to stay quiet for those still sleeping soon lost its power, as it was nearly impossible to maneuver changing in a two person tent without making some loud crash resulting in soft giggles. In a situation that could easily make me become irritable, I couldn’t help but smile. I closed my eyes, focused on my breathing, and said “thank you.” I thanked God for being with me always. I thanked God for all the people in my life that have impacted me. And I thanked Him for the memories yet to come on this crazy adventure. That morning, snuggled in my warm sleeping bag that smelled like a porta-john, I had a sweet encounter with the Lord.
Experiencing the Lord is unforgettable. It’s unimaginable. But it’s real. Even now, just laying here on my bed, listening to the sound of toast being buttered downstairs, Christ is relentlessly pursuing me. He is pursuing me to experience Him, maybe in new ways, maybe in old ways. Within these last 10 days, I’ve re-learned an unforgettable truth: Jesus loves me passionately and deeply desires to be with me.
Christ, in all of His vastness, allows us to experience Him in different ways. Ways I didn’t know existed, or were even possible for someone like me. Often times I limit myself to all that Christ has to offer me. Sometimes I even limit God, believing He is holding me back from experiencing His goodness, even though I know it is me who tends to hold back. Training camp opened my eyes to see more of Jesus.
Here are 7 pathways to God. Read them. Study them. Experience them.
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Aesthetic Pathway – experiencing God through beauty and order
-Paint brush in hand, beauty and meaning behind an empty canvas, or even behind His intricate design ~ asking the Lord to reveal His thoughts in our hearts so we can make sense of it on paper
-Potential downfall: too much of this could result in idolizing art or ambiance
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Experiential Pathway – experiencing God through worship
-Knees bent, heart bowed, truth proclaimed through song ~ literally experiencing and feeling the Lord’s presence
-Potential downfall: idolizing emotional encounters and always looking for the next exciting thing
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Activist Pathway – experiencing God through service
-Being Christ’s hands and feet, doing His work, evangelizing ~ experiencing God through obedience and sacrifice
-Potential downfall: developing an attitude of doing good works to earn God’s approval
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Contemplative Pathway – experiencing God through Himself (His voice)
-Consistent prayer, focusing on the Lord’s still, soft voice, high thinkers ~ experiencing the Lord through one-on-one time with Him, literally listening to Him (whether that be through words or visions)
-Potential downfall: little accountability can turn into isolation
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Student Pathway – experiencing God through His Word
-Knowing God through studying His Word, proper doctrine is priority, theology books and discussion ~ experiencing God through meditating on the Bible
-Potential downfall: getting caught up in doctrine and a feeling of superiority
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Relational Pathway – experiencing God through His people
-Community, being together and sharing, group prayer, solitude is a challenge ~ experiencing God through the community of believers
-Potential downfall: community can become an idol
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Naturalist Pathway – experiencing God in nature
-Finding God in nature, Psalm 19:1 (Heavens declare the glory) ~ experiencing God through the beauty of this world
-Potential downfall: getting caught up in nature and not seeing God in it
So, which pathway makes you feel closest to God? Don’t limit yourself to one way. Don’t limit God to one way. Training camp gave me the unique opportunity to experience each one myself. Trust me, I never would have imagined being close to the Lord through water painting. Anyone who knows me knows I’m TERRIBLE at art. And while my final “masterpiece” may have disturbed some viewers, it has a beautiful meaning to me.
Amidst the emotional, spiritual, and physical exhaustion at training camp, there was a still, soft voice saying, “Be still; do you trust me?” I knew I was where God wanted me to be. Despite my fear of the unknown, I knew the Lord had led me this far, and He was not going to abandon me. Once I realized that truth, the overwhelming and never-ending peace from my Savior was lavished on me. I am ready to face the unknown. I am ready to be a vessel. I am ready to rise up and be the woman of God the Lord has called me to be.
Talitha Koum ~ “Little girl, I say to you, rise up”
