Is There More Spiritual Life Than I’m Experiencing?

Many Christians are asking, “Is this it? Is my spiritual life as fulfilling and satisfying as it gets? Can I expect or long for something that is richer or deeper, or is that beyond my reach?”

Scripture speaks of experiences such as the “joy of God’s presence,” “the peace that surpasses understanding,” and “a union with God that is thoroughly “delightful.” Indeed our spirit is made for feasting on spiritual treasures that cause us to come alive and become enflamed with love and joy. Yet, I’m wondering if we really believe that much of this is available to us this side of heaven.

The contemplatives and those who have sought after a practice of God’s presence give their voice to this and say, yes, there is so much more. There is an abundance, a richness, and a satisfaction available to those who will seek Christ who is in us and learn to rest and soak in His reality.

Perhaps we have set our sights to low and our expectations have languished. There is more. All are invited.

“If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within (John 7:38).”

This is a pursuit and a journey. It requires that we get up from our comfort zone and push into some areas of prayer and contemplation that may feel different. But if our heart is hungering for more than what we have, the path is there… we can get on with it.

How about this quote from Thomas Dubay:

“That I, of myself, a puny nothing, am to be filled utterly with boundless beauty, power, joy, and love staggers the imagination.”

Comments

[John]

To drink of what the Master has is to enter into a relationship with God. It is a journey. A journey into my own heart, a journey to a place of truth, understanding (of my need for Him), and of passion. Do I have any passion for Jesus Christ? I have come to see the derilection of my own soul, my broken-ness. And then I have found that with what little faith I have, I have found a river of Love, supplied by God, flowing out of my own heart! Why do I struggle to stay near it?

[Aaron]

God is so faithful! As I "Re-engage" Him I feel that I should have to start all over from scratch( at least that's how I would do it). As I earnestly seek him and honestly search for his will he has reminded me of a promise in his word:
"being confident of this, that he who has began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus" (philp. 1:6)
I have come to realize that my "wandering" from God was part of the journey. If I had not taken the path that I did I would be a different person, therfore, a different type of christian. Not saying that everyone needs to have a path like mine but for me it was MY path to God. The shortest path to God is not always a sraight line sometimes God allows deviations to teach us critical life lessons we might not learn in a conventional manner (he knows us). We may think this is risky of God. We may have fear for people (friends, loved ones, CHILDREN) in our lives that have wondered from God. We need to remember that God does not engage in risky behavior, he is in CONTROL, he see the end result. We Need to hold strong to another promise that he has recently shown me:
"Wether you turn to the left or to the right, you ears will hear a voice bihind you saying,"This is the way; walk in it."Isaiah 30:21
I believe that all those years I struggled against God I was hearing his voice in the back of my mind, I was just fighting him. He never left or gave up he just kept reminding me softly. It was not until I was ready and had work through some things (at the time I thught on my own) that I could once again listen to his voice. I now feel that I have picked up where I left off, with new life lessons, ready continue on my journey.

[Aaron]

My life has been filled with the persut of pleasure. I have sought my entie life to fill the void with what ever physical sensation I could find around me. In the past I lived as though christianity was based on outward actions. (I knew it wasn't but that's how I lived). I never let God get close enough to fill any of the voids in my life. I was afraid to let go of what I saw as my security. I knew that at the very least my way felt good. I would never let go of anything long enough for God to show me his true pleasures.
Now as I seek God anew I have been given a wonderful gift. God has told me to come to him as I am. Not to be concerned about my actions or hangups, just come. I have concentrated on seeking Gods face. I hae truely thrown my self into praise and worship. This has had a profound effect on the void in my life. I seem to have less need to fill it with worldly pleasures. Instead of seeking the next "high",I am seeking God. Eventhough I have a long way to go I am encouraged that God is faithful and that he waiting and willing to shower us with his love and joy and to give us the high of our life, one that will last.

[jennifer]

as i sit here and think about my life and how God guided my every step and knew me (knows me) better than i know myself and he still loves me despite all my sin -- i know that He has so much more for me. I think about all the times i felt so close to Him, and heard His voice so clearly. Then, within an instant, i wandered miles away by the littlest distraction. I know he has more for me. I have tasted morsals of His presence. I have experienced tidbits of His grace. I have felt Him so close that His breath and mine were one. Yet it is so often that i forget His power and I depend on my own strength and when i get tired of trying i finally tap into Him. I know He has more for me. Why is it such a struggle when all it takes is a glance in His direction and He runs toward me to my rescue. I barely try and He is so available, yet I forget. I really know He has more for me. I love Him, yet words are meaningless without action. I want to be the one who runs to Him. I want to be the one who defends Him. I want to be the one to serve Him. I want to be the one who sits for hours with Him. I want to be the one. I say "pick me God- I'll go!" I want to experience the "MORE" that He has for me! I say "YES" to Him.

[Bob]

Hello.

I just want to say thank you to all for your inspired words. It stirs my heart daily for our Saviour.

[Aaron]

Is there more spiritual life than I am experiencing? I keep mulling this over. I have spoke about where I am at in my journey and how he is working in my life. But is there more???
After thinking this over I realized that the answer has been literally staring me in the face. Being part of a church where so many people participate is a wonderful opportunty to see God working in many ways. By seeing God work in different ways it gives me a glimpse of what he may have in store for me. Not that I will experience God in all of the ways that I have seen but it shows me that I have only scratched the surface of Gods potential.

[Kris]

You wrote: “Is this it? Is my spiritual life as fulfilling and satisfying as it gets? Can I expect or long for something that is richer or deeper, or is that beyond my reach?”

I have read this over and over and I am having a bit of a struggle. Maybe I need to get rid of some bad teaching from the past, or maybe I am opening myself up to something new. Not sure. Let me flesh it out here and see what happens.

Are we supposed to expect joy, blessings, and richness? Perhaps.

Are we supposed to reach for them a a goal? I am not sure.

Perhaps my confusion and struggle come from the sense that to expect or reach for a better spiritual life seems not to be authentic.

I am not expressing myself clearly in the abstract. Let me get down to where the rubber meets the road:

In my mind, the depth of my spiritual life is not something I think about on a daily basis. I donot struggle with how close I am to God. I just KNOW He is here. We talk like friends, I listen to and take his advice. I ask him for help. It's a partnership, with him being the senior. He knows me far better than I can ever know him, and that is as it ought to be. He is the father of my soul, and he protects me and provides for me, which brings him joy.

If I get too involved in evaluating the relationship I have with the Father, then the relationship becomes the focus, not my God.

Do I wander ? Of course I do. Does that change the relationship? Yes, but only on my side. And to heal that relationship I don't have to struggle and worry and fret. I just have to be my dad's kid. Ask forgiveness, promise to do better, and keep trusting him to take care of the rest.

I am a pretty simple person. I churched for many years in a system that told me that simple was wrong. Simply talking to God and listening for an answer wasn't enough. I had to study so many hours a week, read and memorize scripture, and pray day and night, always remembering that I was a filthy sinner.

Thing is, the Father that loves me, loves me even when I am gross and disgusting. Even when i have made absolutely no effort to talk to him in weeks. Even when I fail him. But the relationship I have with him is not based on how hard I work to make it better and better. It is based on simply loving him, receiving his love for me, and recognizing that he is the center of it all.

I suppose what I am saying is that on some level I do understand that we have a certain level of responsibility for our spiritual walk. But I am concerned that the focus might get shifted from what the Father does for us, and wants to do for us, to shining the light on what WE are supposed to be doing to get closer to him.

The answer is really pretty simple for me. Get myself out of the way. Talk to him and honor him. Realize that every breath I take is a gift from him, and treat him as he deserves to be treated. It's not about me at all. Ever. It's only about him.

Does any of that make sense?

Kris

[roger]

kris--
great questions... making me think... clarify... rethink... hmmm...
"Are we supposed to reach for joy, blessings, and richness as a goal?" No, I don't really think so. Does our relationship with God change when we are gross and disgusting. Thank God it doesn't or where would I be? Are we to expect or reach for more? Maybe... only in the sense that we have, perhaps, put limitations on who God is. Perhaps there can be a realization that He is more than we have made Him out to be and that by seeking more (faith?) we are allowing Him to be more Who He Is.
Sort of rambling here... but let me continue.
In my mind is the Christian (I know many) who was told that the Christian life is first of all about giving up A, B, and C. Then, the Christian is told, do these other external things: go to church, read the Bible. In the end, this Christian doesn't experience much in his/her Christian walk that is life-giving. But he/she accepts this because his/her image of God kind of fits with this austere picture of the Christian life. This person often relegates his/her Christian life to a small part of life... needed, important, but not truly satisfying or life-giving.
This Christian would have a hard time even understanding the kind of experience and emotion expressed by the lover, in Song of Solomon, to her Beloved: "I am utterly lovesick." This Christian's limitations (distortions) on who God is would keep him/her from seeing and knowing God in this way.
So, I suppose I originally posed this question to try to stir up the possibility that we sometimes put a limit on Who God is and can be to us.
The more I open myself to Him and Who He Really Is, won't I expect to enjoy Him more fully? Is this true? Is it faith to long for this or something else?

[Aaron]

I was speaking to a fellow believer about the notion of wanting more of a spiritual life. I was speaking of desiring and longing for more and they asked me a question that I have had to think a lot about.
They basically asked me if this desire meant that I was not satisfied with God, or at least where I was at with God.
This concerned me. I don’t want to be dissatisfied with God or his gifts. I don’t, as Kris put it, want the relationship to become the focus.
After some thought about why I have this desire and longing for more from God I have concluded that it does not come from dissatisfaction but rather from complete satisfaction. I have been given a taste, I believe a small taste, of what it is to be in relationship with God and I am excited to receive more.
I look at Jacob, who wrestled with God until he was blessed, and say I want to be like Jacob. I say to God give me more.

[Carlos]

I think like most relationships, ours with God tends to go through its own set of ups and downs, and thus, its own level of awareness and fulfillment. There are times that I have felt such incredible closeness to God that I couldn’t help but be overjoyed, experiencing life so fully in its entire realm. Sometimes this is a result of a process, sometimes it happens in spite of ourselves or any work we do. However, there are other times when, for reasons of my own doing, I can not feel that presence as tangibly, nor do I experience the accompanying joy.
I appreciated the words of Kris regarding keeping our focus. How many times have we over analyzed our own relationships with our loved ones, while at the same time slowly forgetting the reasons why we love them in the first place?
I believe that, in my own life, there’s certainly room for a richer more spiritually deep relationship with God. However, I think my own mind and spirit tend to limit the depth of such journey, and I am not sure that I know what it is that I seek in terms of said spiritual depth. Is it a constant joy? Is it being ever so aware of God’s presence and plan? Is it somehow being more spiritually “in tune” to the supernatural? Is it an unabashed love and acceptance of my fellow man?
Eventually, the vision of what we seek tends to be blurred by our human eyes. But it is sure worth keeping our eyes open.

[Tara]

I know that there is much more spiritual life then I'm experiencing. I have a "classic devotions" from the renovare "idea or movement" I'm not sure what renovare is called but this devotional has so many inspiring things from the contemplatives that I am excited to experience... BUT I don't do much really on my part to experience them a lot of the time. I feel like on some scale I can compare it to a marriage relationship, there is that in love stage which "hooks" you but then in real life the relationship takes honesty & time and showing up on my part which is always honored in growth but sometimes I'm just lazy... that's how it is for me with God. Jennifer is right, if I just barely turn to look at him there is a huge stride on his part & a connection... if with consistency, depth and honesty I am coming to God rather then the times I barely turn to look at him on the right time of the right day of the week for me, how much more I could I be experiencing with him? He’s so gracious and he is so satisfying, I know that he will be faithful to complete the good work that he started as Aaron reminded me and I’m sure that I take advantage of God’s constant, steady, loving pursuit, he is too good (so so patient & kind) and I love him very much.

[roger]

so--tara (or anybody)--in the end, does reading the experiences of others (i.e. the contemplatives) inspire and encourage or become another source for pressure and "not-measuring-up"???

[Tara]

for me it inspires and encourages, I don't feel like I don't measure up or pressured as much as I know that I could give more (in my heart, not even my time) that I sometimes withhold from God and then I miss out, I don't know why I do that, maybe I think it takes too much emotional energy or honesty with him at times, or maybe I'm too easily distracted? because I know that other times I can do and do give much more depth to him and experience more then I'd get anywhere else, but not consistently enough for my contentment.

[Kris]

Well, Roger, I have to say none of the above. Does that sound odd?

I have been given a whole lot of grace in my Christian life. And during the times of receiving that grace, I have learned that my relationship with my Father is an individual one. And, of course, it follows that each person's relationship is unique.

One of the things that kept me from trusting God completely in my youth was the lack of a positive paternal influence in my life. Through a long struggle and finally a very precious envisioning of God's Fatherhood, I have come to understand that just as a biological father would have individual relationships with his children, so does our Heavenly Father. There are rules, of course, just like in every family. But the intimate dealings He has with each of us are customized for our personality, character, history, and all other things that make us who we are.

So, I would have to say that while I am fascinated to see how Father works in the lives of each person responding, the effect it has on me is to marvel at the infinite ways in which our Father loves us, deals with us, encourages us, supports us, walks us through the good and the bad, and never, ever fails us.

Kris

[roger]

aaron's thoughts took me to a quote i like:
"Divine love is insatiable; it is all consuming and the greater it becomes, the greater the need and hunger that it causes to be felt, for, by letting its delights be enjoyed, it awakens insatiable desires for delights greater still." Ricardo

[Aaron]

The experiences of others tend to encourage me, especially when they expose their humanity. The fact that others are going through and dealing with issues, that are the similar to the ones that I am dealing with, helps me struggle on. It also allows me to be able to reveal myself to others and make a connection.

Roger-
That quote really sums up where I’m at right now.

[John]

Hi gang, great dialogue going. I definitely know that blessings should not be our focus or goal. Nor even "getting to heaven". The goal should not be "I do A to get B". That is OT - living under "law". Jesus Christ is our new covenant. Only my abiding fellowship in Him will do. A lot of us talk of falling short, wandering, etc. Yet, the only question Jesus asks is "Do you love me?" And then the pain in my heart is exposed as I realize the desperate need in my soul for Him. Yes, there is more, much more. However much am I willing to let go is how much closer I will get. In this light, how much do we really seek Him? My awareness of God is congruent with my desire, my seeking of Him.

[Heidi]

I'm new here, but I'm going to jump in - thank you for your honest stories and heartfelt thoughts. They have moved me. My answer to the question "Is There More Spiritual Life Than I’m Experiencing?" is that each step deeper, each move closer reveals something alive and breathing, real and tangible - and I am drawn ever deeper. It's what gives me the strength to go on - that it doesn't end, that there is no wall, that this will only get better, more real and more intimate. Because that is what I long for more than anything - intimacy - true intimacy. And that total acceptance and love cleanses the pain of the past and allows me to heal one more layer, know myself and Him a bit more fully, and brings me to a place where the longing becomes more urgent, more life-sustaining. It is a thirst, a hunger that is satiated but never satisfied - met, but never quenched. This side of eternity only a glimpse - but someday face to face.

[roger]

very well said indeed!!! thank you!!