Before the World Race, I believed that spending time with the Lord looked like reading chapter upon chapter in the Bible. I believed that it was something I wasn’t the best at. But I’ve been learning that alone time with the Lord is not some structured thing, but something so fluid that it could look differently every day.
Alone time with the Lord comes in many formats. It can look like reading his word. Praying. Singing along with worship music. But it could also be having tea with the Lord or baking cookies with the Lord. The Lord wants to meet you where you are and that looks like many different things. He doesn’t care because any time that we are doing anything with the Him is exactly what He wants.
During debrief this past week, Alyssa, my amazing squad mentor, taught me what alone time with God can look like, if I want it to. She described the relationship as one between a Daddy and his daughter. Imagine a little girl running to her father, Him scooping her up and saying “Daddy! I want to spend time with you today!” And He would say “What would you like to do?” And, like many fathers indulging their daughters, He would gladly have a tea party, do messy crafts, or read bedtime stories to his little girl. It could also look like having dinner with Him or going for a drive with Him.
“Wait! But Sydney! That means that pretty much anything at anytime could become alone time with the Lord!?”
Yeah pretty much because the Lord just wants to spend time with you. Doing whatever. I find that I hear the Lord best when my phone is no where near me. Temptation is super real when that little box is in the same room as me, so I just don’t bring it with me. And I always start my F&D Time by asking the Lord “What should we do today?” And he usually tells me something along the lines of “Let’s have a meal together” or “Let’s journal about today” and other times we go for a walk or sit in nature. He knows what I need and he makes it known to me.
Sometimes life can get so hectic that you only have time for a quick prayer in bed. You’re talking and talking to the Lord, and then, all of a sudden, you fall asleep. You fell asleep in the middle of a prayer!…
But you know what? That’s ok too! Here’s another visual: you’re lying in bed, talking to the Lord and you drift off to asleep. Now imagine the Lord laying there with you in that moment, listening to you talk about your day. What went well and what was a struggle. What you loved and what you are ashamed of. And then you slowly drift off to sleep in the middle of a thought. And all he does is pull you close, He kisses your forehead, and smiles because you ended your day completely and 100% with Him!
He is a merciful God who loves you more deeply and more intimately than anyone else ever could. You don’t have to be a Bible scholar or an intense prayer-er in order to have an intimate relationship with Him because he wants to meet you where you are.
Thanks for reading!
