Room for God
Have you found there are times when things are full or overcrowded? It could be something quite mundane like trying to fill a dishwasher and one saucepan doesn’t fit.
I’ve had experiences preparing for camping holidays where I have tried to pack everything into the boot of the car and despite various rearrangements, I just can’t make everything squash in! Oh, the frustration!
Life too can get overcrowded. The demands of 21st Century living can sometimes be too much. The added struggles we have all faced, for nearly two years during the pandemic, has not helped. We have all become more aware of its effects on mental health and our wellbeing.
Over the years I have found going running on my own, is a wonderful way to get some space, to think, to recharge, to breathe. I’ll run whatever the weather in the beautiful countryside where we live.
A busy, jammed packed life can also affect us spiritually too. In Psalm 10, in the Bible, I read something that caught my attention...
“In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.”
The ‘wicked man’ was proud, full of himself and had no room for God. The phrase ‘no room for God’ really struck me! How am I doing? Are there areas in my life that are so full that God doesn’t even get a look in? Can I too be like the ‘wicked man’ and have that same pride?
As a Christian I know that my faith is not something that is expressed only on 2 hours on a Sunday morning at ‘church’. It’s a 24/7 relational lifestyle in which God wants to be part of every area of my life.
To be honest, there are still occasions where my way of thinking dominates, or my pride rises up, or I may be stubborn over something. It’s in those moments that I have not made room for God.
When I allow God into a situation, through humility, prayer or sometimes desperation, things do change and I am better for it. This is an ongoing process!
What about you? Let me encourage you to take a moment to consider all aspects in your life and to ask the question: is there room for God?
God bless
Gary Bastin - Hope Community Church leader