In yesterday’s post we looked at the idea from Taoism of “Go with the flow”. This is not to be misunderstood with the idea of “going with the crowd” or of “taking the path of least resistance.” To “Go with the flow” is to go with the flow of Spirit in your life. This rarely leads along the most traveled path. To walk with the Spirit means to live a life with balance and beauty. From a Christian Gnostic perspective it is to have a wisdom walk with Christ that leads one to know and love God more deeply and to live that love in service to others.
In order to have the kind of flow or balance in our lives we have to continually be adjusting. Life naturally pulls us out of balance. You can start a good thing and it can become all consuming—pulling other important areas of your life out of balance. Ministry is the perfect example of this. It is hard to find a minister in any denomination of any gender that doesn’t have a hard time balancing out all of the giving time with the quiet time of receiving, meditation, and basic self-care.
Some of us, depending on our temperament, tend to be more easily controlled by other people’s agendas than others. The concerns and needs of other people can override the need to take care of one’s own spiritual welfare. You can find yourself constantly attending to the agenda of someone else and find that you have spent no time taking care of your own.
Choosing the path of wisdom and following the leading of Spirit is tuning in to where the river (flow of Spirit) is trying to take you. When you face resistance in your life regarding any given endeavor, it is helpful to ask what you are being told. If doors keep closing in your face, take it as a hint that maybe the river of your life (God’s Spirit) is trying to take you some place else. When doors open easily, maybe it’s a good idea to walk through.
This sounds so logical, but in reality how many times do we stubbornly persist in spite of numerous hints and not so subtle messages that maybe we are headed in the wrong direction. We are used to responding to the voice of ego in our lives, it is much more difficult to honor the voice of Spirit. In fact, we won’t even recognize the voice of Spirit unless we have spent time quietly learning to hear.
Until our ego learns to take a backseat to Spirit in our lives, we will fight against the flow. The best way to begin to entertain a Divine design for your life is by making the feeding of your soul and spirit a number one priority. God will still love you if you don’t. The Spirit will still work as much as you allow in your life. Your salvation is still secure. You are just in for a bumpier than necessary ride. To “Go with the Flow” of Spirit means that you are giving God permission to work for your best and highest future.
God never coerces, shames, or inspires guilt. God just invites. For me, it is a compelling invitation; one that I just can’t refuse. Every day is intriguing and the river of Spirit flowing through my life is a constant source of nourishment and refreshment. I invite you to “Go with the Flow” of God’s love and Spirit’s guidance.
In order to have the kind of flow or balance in our lives we have to continually be adjusting. Life naturally pulls us out of balance. You can start a good thing and it can become all consuming—pulling other important areas of your life out of balance. Ministry is the perfect example of this. It is hard to find a minister in any denomination of any gender that doesn’t have a hard time balancing out all of the giving time with the quiet time of receiving, meditation, and basic self-care.
Some of us, depending on our temperament, tend to be more easily controlled by other people’s agendas than others. The concerns and needs of other people can override the need to take care of one’s own spiritual welfare. You can find yourself constantly attending to the agenda of someone else and find that you have spent no time taking care of your own.
Choosing the path of wisdom and following the leading of Spirit is tuning in to where the river (flow of Spirit) is trying to take you. When you face resistance in your life regarding any given endeavor, it is helpful to ask what you are being told. If doors keep closing in your face, take it as a hint that maybe the river of your life (God’s Spirit) is trying to take you some place else. When doors open easily, maybe it’s a good idea to walk through.
This sounds so logical, but in reality how many times do we stubbornly persist in spite of numerous hints and not so subtle messages that maybe we are headed in the wrong direction. We are used to responding to the voice of ego in our lives, it is much more difficult to honor the voice of Spirit. In fact, we won’t even recognize the voice of Spirit unless we have spent time quietly learning to hear.
Until our ego learns to take a backseat to Spirit in our lives, we will fight against the flow. The best way to begin to entertain a Divine design for your life is by making the feeding of your soul and spirit a number one priority. God will still love you if you don’t. The Spirit will still work as much as you allow in your life. Your salvation is still secure. You are just in for a bumpier than necessary ride. To “Go with the Flow” of Spirit means that you are giving God permission to work for your best and highest future.
God never coerces, shames, or inspires guilt. God just invites. For me, it is a compelling invitation; one that I just can’t refuse. Every day is intriguing and the river of Spirit flowing through my life is a constant source of nourishment and refreshment. I invite you to “Go with the Flow” of God’s love and Spirit’s guidance.
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