EXPERIENCING GOD

Experiencing God is more than merely gaining knowledge about God through reading the Bible and attending church; it is about experiencing Him in our hearts through the day-to-day experiences of life. As we apply what we are learning about God's Word in our daily interactions and through our ups and downs, we allow His influence in our hearts and minds to shape us into the people God wants us to be. Experiencing God's guidance in our lives requires us to surrender our will to Him. He cannot guide us if we are not willing to go where God is leading us. Likewise, experiencing God's peace in our hearts and minds requires us to completely trust Him in the midst of life's chaos and uncertainties. When the members of the religious councils told the Apostles Peter and John to stop speaking of Jesus to the people, Peter and John told them, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard (Acts 4:19-20)." Since Peter and John had seen and heard the Lord Jesus, they couldn't help but share Him with the people they met every day, despite the challenges and opposition they faced. 

While we have not seen Jesus face-to-face, His presence lives within us, and He has provided the Bible to help us know Him, allowing us to apply His teachings and experience Him personally. There was a woman who lost everything because the tornado ripped through her house and destroyed her house to rubble. She was unharmed but lost everything. The only thing that gave her peace and hope in the chaos of her life was her deep experience with God. Since she had consistently trusted and followed God in the past, she had experienced God's faithfulness. As a result, when she lost everything due to the tornado, she immediately relied on God, which gave her peace and comfort in the midst of her uncertainty. Each day, we have the chance to experience God by trusting Him and applying the lessons we learn from His Word to our everyday encounters.

May we experience God today as we live out what He is teaching us and trust Him completely in whatever challenges we face today. Let us remember that God's presence is always within us. All we have to do is yield to Him. 

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) How can I experience God daily? Why is it important for me to experience God daily? Is there anything that I can apply today that God has taught me this past weekend? 

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them up to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, please help me to trust in You and apply the teachings You have given me, so that I may experience You personally. Please help me not only to know about You through Your Word but also to experience You in my life. Thank you for your presence in my life, regardless of what's happening. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.