Going through the motions

Before I sit and write a blog entry I love to spend a lot of time in prayer. Generally I head out to a local cafe to give myself the space and time to write, but the days leading up to it I really listen to what God is placing on my heart to speak. As I read the Word I receive revelations and words for what he is placing on my heart to share this time. A lot of thought, meditation and prayer goes in to it before I actually sit down with my iPad and coffee and type away.This morning I was in a rush. We had a late night out last night with a big family dinner, so I woke up tired and flustered. After I put my son down for a sleep I quickly ran around the house getting ready, having a shower and packing my equipment for the day ahead. By the time I finally stopped to pray I knew Hugo would be ready to wake soon. I started journaling, as I love to do, had my worship music on in my headphones and sat in my favourite 'God seat' and started praying. And praying. And praying. But I just wasn't feeling it! There was something missing and as I wrote the words the revelation hit me - "I just feel like I'm going through the motions."Everything was just as I always do when I have time of prayer or worship or just bask in God's presence, so from the outside it didn't look any different to usual. But the 'thing' that was missing was 'it'...the oil, the anointing, the ease. Straight away I was able to rectify it. "Ok Lord, I'm sorry! Forgive me! Let's start over." My prayer shifted, and so did my spirit.I never want to simply 'go through the motions.' I never want to do what has always been done, simply because it works or because its comfortable. I want to remain in God's presence and under his anointing. When we live from that place, everything is fresh. Everything is new each and every time. I was completely reminded of this truth this morning. I had been caught up in the efforts of life and was 'trying' to 'do'. But our spiritual journey isn't matured through 'trying' it's through letting go, submitting, surrendering, emptying ourselves OF ourselves. We can go through the religious rituals and traditions (and these may be created by our very selves!) or we can drop it all and just give in to God and say 'take me!' When we let go of all the rules and regulations we are free to live the life that God calls us to live with him. It's all about relationship, and relationships are natural, raw, fluid, continually changing. When we are living from this place we go from 'trying' and 'doing' to simply 'being.' And God can use us a whole lot more when we just stop and 'be.'It's in this place of freedom that we can live our best lives. We are free to hear the whispers of the Spirit to our hearts without the noise and clutter of 'do this' and 'don't do that.' We are free to feel the presence of God and to sense his direction in our everyday lives. We are free from all cares and worries to feel the peace and wisdom come upon us for the decisions that need to be made.This morning I was reminded of what this journey is really about. Not doing things because we 'should' or even 'how' we've always done them, or how other people do them. This relationship we have is with a living God. Relationships are organic and can't be boxed. It's taken me years to get to this place, growing up in a somewhat 'religious' background, but over this time I have learnt that everything comes from His presence. When we are living in his presence we are aware of him throughout our day, and when we are aware of him we can sense where he is leading us or guiding us, encouraging us to speak up or sometimes to shut our mouth!Basically, when we live from this place of his presence, we don't need to go through the motions, because we are already in that place...the presence of the living God! The throne room of heaven! It is from his place that he gives us, by his grace, all we need. When we live from the place of his presence we have the anointing to do what he calls us to do, we have his oil to do it with ease and we have his favour to do it with excellence. When we live from his presence we go about our day with purpose and with power. I have heard religion be described as 'form without power' and I completely agree. It's simply 'going through the motions and 'doing' what we 'should' but it doesn't have any POWER to it, or in other words, lasting fruit. But when we live from a place of relationship and presence, the POWER of the real and living God is at work upon us, in us and through us.Amidst my chaotic morning of 'trying' to get into a place of his presence and into a position to hear and receive, God reminded me of a simple lifestyle practice that I have probably not been living from in the business of this week...resting in his presence, and living FROM that place. I was trying so hard to 'get ready' that I forgot that I should always be in a place of 'ready'! My prayer this morning was "Help me to be already ready." When we live from this place of his presence we are always 'already ready' we don't need to try and get into it when the time comes that we need it. And not only are we always in a place of 'ready' but we are in the position to receive his FRESH grace, strength, anointing, oil and leading. It certainly makes living the everyday life a whole lot easier when we are living from a position of rest in him and from his presence. And we can live a powerful and fruitful life, in each and every moment.