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It is up to us to respond to God’s invitation of relationship. This gracious God, who knows us better than we know our own selves, patiently and continuously comes to us, as if wooing us into relationship. We are spiritual beings created with a longing for God, as Paul reminds the people of Athens (Acts 17:23–28). Giving good attention to our relationship with God opens a deep and amazing dimension of life to us.
The Holy Spirit will always be present, whispering and nudging us to be who God created us to be. This nudging is often manifested by thoughts that come to us, or comments a friend makes that catch our attention and do not go away.
Trusting that God loves us as we are frees us to enter into prayerful conversation with God about what is catching our attention in body, mind, or soul. Giving God our attention as both listener and speaker takes intentionality and hard work: We can learn to sit quietly and listen to God, whether it is out in nature, in a favorite chair at home, or some other place of quiet.
This message is excerpted from “Spiritual Health” by Ginger Anderson-Larson in Our Journey to Wellness, a 2013 resource of the Women of the ELCA.