The Process of Contemplation

I enjoy structure and frameworks. I love knowing the boundaries and being able to create as needed within them. If there is too much structure, I want to rebel, but if the boundaries aren’t clear enough, I get into all kinds of trouble.

When it comes to spending time with God, there are lots of posts and books and messages like the “5 Steps to Spending Time with God,” and while there’s a place for those, I tend to shy away from them. God is infinitely creative, and I love that he can and does connect with his people in unique ways. I don’t believe God always meets with us in the same cookie-cutter way.

While writing Behold: 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God1, I wanted to give us a way to slow down to meet with God, but I didn’t want to make it too restrictive or too specific. I wanted there to be a little structure but not too much. In this devotional, we pause, be (instead of having to perform), enjoy God, and wonder at who he is.

Pause.

How often do we actually pause? Sit still? Not go through the to-do list of worries or prayer requests? Let’s press pause on our physical bodies, but also our minds, silencing the anxious and hurried inner monologue. This is difficult and takes practice, but I believe God is honored when we attempt to pause in his presence.

Be.

This is probably the hardest one for me. I can so easily find my worth in what I do instead of who I am. So the idea of resting and just being for a moment is difficult. I often feel the need to perform — I’m going to read my Bible the best — but I don’t need to perform in his presence. Instead, I can choose to just be myself and be with him.

Enjoy.

Back in 2020, in a sermon, my pastor posed the question, “Are you enjoying God?” This question has stayed with me, and I still think about it often. As a person who tends to be overly serious and can make following God all about rules, this is an important question for me to return to. Our God is creative and beautiful and intimately acquainted with us. There is infinite enjoyment in God’s presence.

Wonder.

I see this as an opportunity for us to worship God with our minds. We can imagine how great he is. We can sit in awe of God’s splendor and greatness. We all have needs and requests, but this is an opportunity to lift our gaze. Let’s lean into the mystery of who God is. God is glorious, and we can take time to be amazed by him.

There are many ways that we can spend time meeting with God, but I hope that this framework will help us slow down and sit with him. I pray that we are able to put these steps into practice in a way that helps us to intentionally meet with him. As we spend more time with him, the more he will transform our lives.

If you would like to learn more about this framework, check out Behold: 40 Days of Seeing and Savoring God.