CONNECT TO GOD
Let God In Holding fast to God’s love
God is with us. No matter what. It doesn’t matter if our lives are tidy, messy or somewhere in between. It doesn’t matter if we’re in a season full of hope and joy or suffering and despair. It doesn’t matter if we’re measuring up to expectations or disappointing ourselves and others. In any and all situations, God is with us and His posture towards us is love. The question before us is: “Does this fact make a tangible difference in our lives?” Do we know what it is to experience God in all areas of life, including areas of doubt, failure and suffering? Do we know how to experience God’s love and care when the bottom drops out? Are there spiritual practices that can help us get there? One of the most powerful spiritual practices I know is to simply offer to God whatever I have, wherever I am.
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by Kathy Gust Kathy is a spiritual director. She is well known to Baptist Women through her workshops and guest teaching at events. 4
live • November - December 2021
I learned this practice during a time of great suffering in my life. At first it seemed strange. I would sit outside on my deck, hold out my hands and say things to God like, “I don’t know what to do, I offer this to you.” . . . “I really hate the situation I’m in, I offer it to you.” . . . “I feel like You don’t answer prayer, I offer that to You.” As you can see, these were not prayers full of hope and faith that the situation would change. Those prayers had been said long before and were long gone at this stage. I’d run out of prayers asking for a miracle and run out of faith that there was anything in myself that could make things better or bring freedom. All I was left with at this point was the prayer of letting God in . . . into this place that I didn’t want
