Experiencing God

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

We bought a hot tub. After a vacation we’d been planning for a long time fell through, using the money for a fun purpose seemed like a reasonable trade-off. But I was skeptical at first: maintaining it sounded like work, and I wasn’t sure how much use it would get.

But after mulling it over, we decided to purchase it. My worries were unwarranted; to tell the truth, it’s the best “vacation” I’ve ever experienced. I’m grateful for the peace I feel when I climb in with a cup of coffee to watch the sunrise. I’m thankful for it on nights when I look at the stars and try to identify constellations. Chilly winter days when snowflakes fall softly, coating my hair and melting on the surface of the water, have become my favorite hot tub experience. It’s magical.

But what I love most are the connections that tub has fostered. We live in a distracted world, but the time with my family in that space is a moment of connection. No screen, book, toy, or work commitment is present to interfere with the quiet conversations, the eye contact, the simple pleasure of not feeling hurried.

Although we initially purchased an item, I think the reason our joy and gratitude have lingered is that it’s now become an experience—one that keeps on giving. Research consistently demonstrates that experiences foster happiness much more than material goods do, in part because we are not tempted to compare our own experiences with someone else’s the way we do with possessions. We simply enjoy them.

So, how can we bring the joy of experience into our relationship with Jesus? Relationships grow through shared activities. When we intentionally seek time with him—by adding a reminder or time slot to our calendar, singing songs of praise at church, or studying or discussing his Word with a small group—we will appreciate his love and presence to a greater degree. And when we foster connection via experience, we will find ourselves more grateful for the time we’ve had with him.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Choose one concrete activity you can do to bring the joy of experience to your relationship with Jesus.