The modern world is very fast paced. A lot of things vie for our attention: social media, cell phones, television, video games, friends, family, work . . . the list could go on. The problem with spreading your attention so thin is that you can easily lose focus on developing your relationship with God.
Now, we know that if you’re not a person of faith, this doesn’t seem important, but it is. Maintaining a relationship with the Lord is what drives peace and purpose in many people’s lives.
Everything in the list above is not equal. Of course, family and friends are more important than social media or television. However, they all have the capacity to distract you from experiencing wonder and awe in the Lord. Whether or not you’re a person of faith, if you’re looking to get away from distractions and focus more on what grows you as a person, check out these tips below.
Take joy in the Holy Spirit
Knowing the Holy Spirit more deeply and inviting Him into more parts of your life is a joyful experience. Making the effort to learn more about God, spending time in His Word, praying and communicating with other believers all help you grow closer to the Holy Spirit, which creates a heightened sense of awe and wonder in many people.
Take joy in life
When there are a lot of distractions or when things seem plain boring or pointless, take a moment and marvel at what a beautiful thing it is to be alive. We are arguably the only living creatures who know what it is to be alive and what it is to die. We know good and evil. We know pain and joy.
What if one of the purposes of our existence is to enjoy what God has created? God did put Adam and Eve over the rest of creation, so maybe He wanted them to simply take joy in it.
Pause and take a moment to reflect on joy in life and what’s around you.
Take joy in relationships
We are not made to be alone. As God Himself exists in a relational form, we, too, are meant to exist in relationships. Examine the good relationships you have and take a moment to appreciate how wonderful it is that you have them.
Don’t get this confused with what we said earlier about people being distracting. Focusing too much on others and what they think of you can be distracting, but living in healthy relationships is rewarding and reflects the goodness of God.
Take joy in peace and quiet
Finally, make sure you have the space to take a little time for peace and quiet. This might simply be some quiet time in your own home or may be something more along the lines of a hike in the woods. Wherever it is, peace and quiet can help you develop a deeper sense of awe and wonder for the world and for the Holy Spirit’s presence in it
At Unfiltered Radio, we try to find awe and wonder in this distractful world. If you want to hear more about experiencing awe, wonder and joy, check out our podcast series.