Far from God

There are days when I feel far from God. 

There have been weeks and even months – one after the other- when I have felt far from God. 

This sense of distance is draining.  I long for safety and security in general, but with God I especially crave and long for a sense of assurance.  

As an eleven year old, I experienced two traumatic experiences. One came soon after the other.  

I have never been the same sense.  

During that time and the years immediately following these incidences, I was on a war path to get to God.  I wanted to wrestle the Holy One to the ground and talk some sense into this Divine Source. I wanted to explain why NO MORE bad things should happen to the people I love or to innocent people in the world.  

Eventually, I came to my own sense of understanding and faith in God’s presence in the midst of trauma and loss.  But this understanding was hard fought and it was not easy to obtain.    

Awareness & Resistance

Ever since, I have worked diligently to cultivate an intentional welcoming practice for God’s Holy Spirit in my home and my work space.  

While I believe God is always there with us, I have experienced the blessings that emanate from an environment that is hospitable to God’s Spirit.  When we intentionally invite God into our homes, work, relationships, and all the spaces of our lives, we are transformed from the inside out.   

Welcoming God into our homes and lives might seem like an odd thing to do, but it is an essential element to any faith journey.  This is especially important if you have experienced a trauma or significant loss that seems to be hindering your ability to move forward.  

Inviting God’s blessing on the spaces we spend our lives in is customary in every major religion.  In the Jewish tradition, we learn that the Israelites are expected to bless their homes by placing “the word of God” on the doorposts of their homes. ( Deuteronomy 6:4-9). In the Christian tradition, we see this in the liturgies and rubrics spelled out for priests and pastors to bless homes and work spaces.

Have you ever wondered if there’s a way to intentionally welcome God into your home, into your work, or into another important space in your daily life to help you in your journey? 

If so, then perhaps you are ready to try a ritual, or an outward and visible act/sign of faith that is symbolic of a spiritual truth.

7 Ways to Bless the Space:

• Light a Candle while reading a prayer or Psalm: One of the most ancient symbols of the Holy Spirit is a lit candle.  The flickering of its flame wafting in an unseen breeze reminds us that while we can’t see God the presence of the Divine is all around us.  The reading of a Psalm from the Bible is a simple and historic way of relating to God’s presence in the midst of everyday life.  ( I recommend Psalm 84 and Psalm 121 )

• Post a Faith Symbol: Having a meaningful symbol of your faith at the entrance to your space is one of the oldest ways of invoking God’s Spirit that we have record of.  Find a cross, icon, or piece of art that mirrors, for you, the presence of God in your life and place it at or near the entrance.  Every time you enter/exit your space take a moment and pause at  the symbol to acknowledge the presence of the Divine.

• Create an Altar: designate a spot that can serve as a reminder of your faith such as a coffee table, shelf, or entrance table.  Place a few items there and designate a regular time when you stop at it to invite God’s presence into your space or to give thanks to the Holy Spirit.

• Take a Prayer Walk:  Simply walk around the outside of your space, be it a work building exterior or your home lot, and lift up silent prayers.  Ask for the Holy Spirit to bless the space and all the people in and around it.   

• Anoint the doorposts: Pour some plain extra virgin olive oil in a small bowl and with your index finger dab a small dot of oil on doorposts while asking God’s Spirit to come and bless the space.  Oil is an ancient agent of healing, anointing, and blessing.  

• Create a hospitality station:  One of the best ways to invite the Holy Spirit into a space is by welcoming all people to find rest and restoration in it.  Set up a small hospitality spot with basic snacks, beverages, Kleenex etc.  As people come in and out offer it to them and as they receive it give a silent prayer of thanks to God’s Spirit for blessing you with community.  

• Host a Space Blessing:  Take time out with a few close friends and/or family to pray over the space.  This can be done when moving in but also well after you’ve arrived and settled. Find a time when there will be the least amount of distractions and foot traffic, keep the blessing short and sweet, and invite each person to share a wish and hope for the space.  This would be a perfect time to establish a small altar, hang a faith symbol, anoint the doorposts, and/or light a candle.  ( I recommend using this candle from Thistle Farms Ministry – https://thistlefarms.org/collections/candles-and-room-sprays/products/hope-candle).  Your local pastor/faith mentor will more than likely be familiar with home blessing liturgies and the like, and would more than likely be delighted to be invited to lead the blessing.  

Over the years I’ve seen how a small ritual such as lighting a candle, saying a prayer, reading a Psalm, creating a prayer altar, or welcoming a small group for study and fellowship can transform a space.   I pray that you will find these 7 ways to bless the space you’re in immensely helpful!

Application:

(Not sure which “L”,level, you are?  Click here)

L1: Choose one of the 7 ways from the list above and try it out.  

L2:  Choose one of the 7 ways from the list above and try it out, then share how it went with a trusted friend and share your experience with RevWren.  

L3:  Choose one of the 7 ways from the list above and try it out, then share how it went with your congregation/faith community. Share with your congregation/faith community the importance of inviting God’s Spirit into these spaces and follow up with helping people follow through with one or more of the “7 ways.”  Share your experience with RevWren.

May the Road Rise Up to Meet Y’all,

 

Rev.Wren