A spiritual discipline is simply an activity you engage in to be made more fully alive by the Spirit of Life.” I used to think that spiritual disciplines were limited to "holy and sacred" activities. You know, like having a prayer time with a journal and a Bible, or listening to worship and praise music. That all changed when I was talking to my spiritual director about my own experiences of God. I was sharing with her my frustrations that my prayer times had been feeling empty and lifeless. She paused, and asked me, "Well, what activities ARE bringing you life and joy?" I listed off several things, such as baking bread and writing stories. Before I could explain that these weren't spiritual activities, my spiritual director said, "Great - those are the practices that you need to do. See what happens if you do those things intentionally with God." I tried it. I purposefully engaged in baking bread with God, turning my awareness to his presence. At first it didn't seem very sacred. But at some point, I noticed my expectation changing. Instead of assuming God only showed up when I was "praying," I began encountering God's presence while baking, writing, and other life-giving activities. I realized that my soul was being refreshed by God himself as I did these things with him. I had moments of hearing his voice and experiencing his peace in significant ways. Baking and writing became my prayer times. As I encountered God in these "mundane" activities, I realized that a spiritual discipline isn't limited to a particular list of religious rituals. A spiritual discipline can be any activity that leads to deeper connection with God. You can freely embrace the ways that you connect with God, and not have to do things simply because they've been labeled "spiritual." Who has the power to decide what is "spiritual" or "unspiritual" anyway? God is a pretty mysterious being, who shows up in unexpected places. The way I connect with God may be completely different that how another person connects with God. We each have our own personal relationship with God that is being nurtured in unique ways. Maybe you receive life through long-distance running (this is my husband, and definitely not me). Or maybe you have profound encounters with God as you write poetry, or listen to music, or surf, or study art. This is where listening to your own soul is important - trust that your soul knows where to find deep refreshment from God. I encourage you to pay attention to what activities help you connect with God. Do those things. Allow the soul-refreshing activities to usher the presence of God into your life. ACTION & PRACTICE Make a list of the things that bring you rest, joy, and life. What is something from your list that you can do this week with God? As you engage in that activity, invite God to be present. Turn your own awareness to God. Receive whatever God gives you - rest, refreshment, or simply a moment of enjoyment - and welcome it as a gift. If you want more on the topic of spiritual disciplines, read How to Grow Your Relationship with God Through Spiritual Disciplines. What activities bring you life and joy? What activity can you do that can forge a deeper connection between your spirit and God's Spirit? Please share in the comments. Want guidance and inspiration for your spiritual journey delivered to your inbox?
Sign up for my email newsletter Notes From Larissa. Don’t be a stranger to what you most deeply want. I think what God most deeply wants for you is what you most deeply want.” Father Greg Boyle Are you aware of what you most deeply want? Do you give yourself permission to be honest with what you most deeply want? It can be scary to take a real honest look at what we want. We might discover unmet desires, and unacknowledged disappointment. We might find that we have deep desires that we've masked out of fear that they will never get met. When I think about my nearly 10-year marriage, some of my most vulnerable moments with my husband have been when I am sharing about my deepest longings. Sometimes it feels safer to not even bring them up. But when I do muster up the courage to reveal what I want, there is almost always a deeper intimacy and partnership that gets birthed. What if God has deposited your deepest desires into you? What if he designed you to know him more intimately in those desires? Consider the reality that Jesus often asked that very question: what do you want? What do you want me to do for you? If we withhold our deepest desires from God, we will always keep him at a distance. We will always be protecting ourselves, never giving God the chance to meet us in those desires. If, however, we allow ourselves to acknowledge what we most deeply want, then we get more in touch with our soul. And in that place, we are free to deeply, intimately connect with God and receive from him. So be brave with your desires. Let God invite you into a place of safety, and give yourself permission to embrace your deepest desires. Who knows? Maybe the things that God most deeply wants for you is what you most deeply want. ACTION & PRACTICE Take some time today or this week to reflect on what you are currently wanting. Don't edit yourself. Simply journal or list out the things that your soul most deeply desires. Share those things with God. Listen for anything he wants to say. Do you give yourself permission to acknowledge what you most deeply want? What stands in the way of that? Please share in the comments. Want guidance and inspiration for your spiritual journey delivered to your inbox?
Sign up for my email newsletter Notes From Larissa. Are you looking for ways to grow spiritually? Spiritual development and maturity is such a vital part of our lives, but many of us get stuck or simply need some practical ways to move forward. If you're looking for ideas on how to grow spiritually and continue in your spiritual development, then this post is for you. Why do we get stuck in our spiritual growth? If you’ve been on the spiritual journey for any length of time, you’ve probably experienced feeling spiritually stuck. It may feel like your spiritual growth has plateaued, or your relationship with God has hit a wall. We may be stuck for a whole host of reasons. Maybe we are stuck because there's an area of our lives that we are unwilling to let God shape. Or we are stuck because we're not sure if being in relationship with God is worth the hard effort and work. Or we are stuck because we're in a season of waiting. Being spiritually stuck isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Oftentimes, it simply means that there is a new season God is inviting you to step into - a new way of relating to him, or a new way of living. Take action with your spiritual development. Whatever the reasons for us becoming stuck, I believe we can find our way out. One of my personal principles for spiritual growth is, “Do whatever is working. If it stops working, try something new.” It is often in the act of trying something new with God that we experience a breakthrough and forward momentum. Here are 10 practical ideas for your spiritual growth. 1. Do some deep self-reflection. Make space to reflect about where you are in life and where you want to be. Here are 6 Simple Questions for Self-Reflection that will help guide you. 2. Share about it with a friend. Talk with a trusted friend or spiritual director and ask them to pray with you. Invite him or her into your frustrations and questions. When we are stuck, we are often helped by the simple act of asking another person for help. 3. Create a new Rhythm for Life. A rhythm for life is a simple statement of personal habits that you choose to practice to intentionally center your life on loving God, and allow him to form you. Reassess your current spiritual rhythms. Ask God to give you a few practices and habits to make space for him. 4. Practice gratitude. Create a Gratitude List in a journal or on your wall. Write down all the things that you're thankful for. Celebrate and thank God for those things. 5. Shake things up and do something new. Find a new way of connecting with God. Read a book or listen to a podcast about the spiritual life to gain a new perspective. Go on a hike and spend time with God in nature. Let God nurture you through some self-care for the mind, body & soul. Try the Examen prayer. 6. Help someone else. A great antidote to being spiritually stuck is serving someone else in a practical way. Look for a way to help someone today. 7. Have a conversation with God. Create space to listen to him. Sit quietly, and ask God your questions. Invite him to speak to you. God might give you insights about what is going on in your spiritual life, and direction for moving forward. Write down what you think he is saying to you. 8. Clear away the clutter and distractions. There are lots of things that can clutter our spiritual lives - addictive or unhelpful behaviors, fear, unhealthy relationships, incomplete projects, mental noise. Take a look at what is cluttering your life, and ask, “Is this thing helpful or good for me?” If the answer is no, consider letting it go. 9. Go on a spiritual retreat. Spiritual retreat is time set apart to be in quiet, rest, and solitude with God. Going on a spiritual retreat could guide you into a place of spiritual refreshing and renewing. I have experienced so much breakthrough during personal spiritual retreats, and highly recommend them for anyone wanting to go deeper in their spiritual journey. 10. Brainstorm a list of activities that make you feel alive. Create a list of activities that bring you joy and life. Be as thorough and free with this list as possible. Do something on that list today with God. Keep going! Be encouraged, friends. If you really are stuck in your spiritual growth, God has the desire and the power to lead you out and into the next part of the journey. If you need help with your spiritual development, I would love to hear from you and help you press on with God. Send me an email, and get in touch. What are you doing to grow spiritually? What are things you do to continue your spiritual development? Please share in the comments. Want guidance and inspiration for your spiritual journey delivered to your inbox?
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WELCOMEHi, I'm Larissa. I am an artist and spiritual director on the island of O'ahu in Hawai'i.
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