Over the last few years I have heard a common concern arise regarding the stress levels of people in our country, and at the onset I initially placed a lot of responsibility on things such as technology, employers, and the demands of society. Yet, as I pondered this issue, and as more news reports and articles populated about people being their own contributor to stress, I started scrutinizing not only my own life, but also observing others. Our culture has seemed to breed the idea that humans are to glorify status, stuff, and schedules, rather than glorify the Creator of all. In the book titled, Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (2006), Peter Scazzero discussed the previously held notion of crafting a rule of life, with the hopes that one
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In reading about what a rule of life is meant to entail, Scazzero (2006) stated that it is “an intentional, conscious plan to keep God at the center of everything we do” (p. 196). After careful examination of this statement in relation to my heart and mind, I was redirected to the fundamentals of the Gospel, which allowed me to recognize that I was generating just another checklist. Since my aim is to truly pursue God and engage in a relationship with Him, I concluded that my rule of life should be more indicative of mapping out a journey. Therefore, I ultimately decided to dub my plan as my pathway to God, instead of my rule of life. Pathways are representative of various terrains, ranging from mild to extreme conditions, and due to fluctuating seasons, the tools needed for the trek will vary. I felt this analogy was appropriate, as a journey will either represent time spent aimlessly wandering without an intentional goal, or traveling with a very specific destination in mind. My proposal is more that of the latter, with the distinct objective of placing God at the center of my life which, consists of three elements including desire, inviting Jesus in, and love. At this point in my life, these are the things needed for me to help surrender to God, and each element has a correlating Bible verse to serve as a …show more content…
What better way to draw near and learn about my Heavenly Father, than to forge a relationship with His Son. I have not yet read through all of the Gospels, but have studied them on and off over the last seven years. Therefore, for this particular stepping stone on my journey, I plan to work my way through the Gospels, and spend time with my Savior. Throughout these times, I foresee myself engaging in prayer, reading scripture, doing some self-examination, journaling, and/or silently sitting in His presence. The Bible verse that truly touches me about Jesus’s character can be found in the book of Revelation, which stated “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” Revelation 3:20 (NKJV). My role in this is to simply answer the calling of Jesus, for it is apparent He wants to be a part of my
In reading about what a rule of life is meant to entail, Scazzero (2006) stated that it is “an intentional, conscious plan to keep God at the center of everything we do” (p. 196). After careful examination of this statement in relation to my heart and mind, I was redirected to the fundamentals of the Gospel, which allowed me to recognize that I was generating just another checklist. Since my aim is to truly pursue God and engage in a relationship with Him, I concluded that my rule of life should be more indicative of mapping out a journey. Therefore, I ultimately decided to dub my plan as my pathway to God, instead of my rule of life. Pathways are representative of various terrains, ranging from mild to extreme conditions, and due to fluctuating seasons, the tools needed for the trek will vary. I felt this analogy was appropriate, as a journey will either represent time spent aimlessly wandering without an intentional goal, or traveling with a very specific destination in mind. My proposal is more that of the latter, with the distinct objective of placing God at the center of my life which, consists of three elements including desire, inviting Jesus in, and love. At this point in my life, these are the things needed for me to help surrender to God, and each element has a correlating Bible verse to serve as a …show more content…
What better way to draw near and learn about my Heavenly Father, than to forge a relationship with His Son. I have not yet read through all of the Gospels, but have studied them on and off over the last seven years. Therefore, for this particular stepping stone on my journey, I plan to work my way through the Gospels, and spend time with my Savior. Throughout these times, I foresee myself engaging in prayer, reading scripture, doing some self-examination, journaling, and/or silently sitting in His presence. The Bible verse that truly touches me about Jesus’s character can be found in the book of Revelation, which stated “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” Revelation 3:20 (NKJV). My role in this is to simply answer the calling of Jesus, for it is apparent He wants to be a part of my