A Sense of Wonder
He says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalm 46:10
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
INSIGHT
We are always on the go. We are engrained from very young to work faster and harder. Our schedules are jam-packed as we go from one activity to the next. If productivity becomes the marker of success and success is our ultimate goal, then the quicker we produce, the more success we enjoy.
But, the reality is that many of us "busy bees" enjoy very little of our days — joy and wonder are in short supply. Being still and standing in awe of something doesn't pay the bills, get things accomplished, or move our agenda forward. As we grow from a child into an adult, we outgrow our wonder without realizing how detrimental this is to experiencing a full life. We've become so conditioned to find our flaws and fix them that we often forget to wonder.
Our heart remains restless as it continues to search for something worthy of its attention, affection, and worship. We settle for what catches our eyes and fail to reflect on what's captured our heart's affection. The heart can't help but express itself.
Our circumstances can make us desperate, but our heart can make us curious. Caring for our heart begins with being still. Gratitude arises from stillness. Our refusal to wonder opens the door for entitlement to creep into our heart. Gratitude awakens wonder while entitlement drives us to prove our worth. Worship is the strategy by which we interrupt our preoccupation with ourselves and attend to the presence of God.
During the holiday season, the pressure to speed up only intensifies. We have to be intentional about developing a curious heart. God is never in a hurry; neither should we be. Rush is the enemy of spiritual formation. Our sense of wonder gets influenced by what we allow ourselves to see. Curiosity is never awoken by looking inward. It involves marveling at something much bigger than ourselves. By slowing down, we are training our eyes to see God's power, creativity, and influence in our lives as well as the world around us.
REFLECTION
Where have you lost your sense of wonder?
How can you still your heart and awaken wonder leading up to celebrating Christmas?
PRAYER
God, help me to slow down today. Quiet my mind. Focus my eyes. Awaken my heart. Rather than rush, let me be still. Amid my busy schedule, may I make it a priority to stand in awe of who You are and how You love me. In Your name, Jesus. Amen.