Ep. 2 What Intimacy with God Looks Like

Transcript

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Are you ready to build a life, business and legacy that truly lasts? Welcome to Faithfully Invested with Allen and Stacy Jo Thorne, where Faith meets real talk. Biblical wisdom meets everyday life and leadership meets laughter. Together we will uncover God's blueprint for leadership, marriage, and mission, helping faith-driven leaders invest in what matters most. Each episode, we explore biblical wisdom, have real conversations, and of course, have some fun along the way because let's be real. Walking in faith is an adventure. It sure is. So pull up a seat, grab your coffee or your sweet tea, and join us as we steward our callings with intention, because when we invest in his kingdom, he brings the increase. Hey y'all. Welcome back to Faithfully Invested, where we explore God's blueprint for leadership. Marriage and mission one Kingdom principle at a time. We're your host, Allen and Stacy Jo Thorne and today's episode is part two of our first season, which is all about deep intimacy with God. Because if we're gonna lead well, if we're gonna love well, even if we're just gonna breathe well, we gotta stay connected to the source. Yeah, we do. And listen, if you've ever felt like intimacy with God was just. A laundry list or a checklist of religious habits. Like read my Bible, pray for five minutes, maybe try not to yell at anybody. Right. Huh. Well then today is for you. Yeah. We're going way beyond the checklist. We're getting into Lose the checklist, lose the, this is the, this is the lose the checklist episode. Yeah. Uh, and we're gonna get into the real stuff. Uh, like what intimacy actually looks like in our day-to-day life. Fortunately for us, and you'll be able to breathe easy on this one. It's not about being perfect. Woo-hoo. It's about being, I. Present. Oh, thank the Lord, but let's just be real. We didn't always know, oh, I'll keep it in first person. I didn't always know what intimacy with God looked like. I mean, I used to think if I had a pretty prayer journal and my Bible lap on my home screen, on my phone, I, I was. Literally killing it. Yeah, whatever. I was absolutely crushing it.'cause I had two Bible apps and a super fancy reminder to take a pause. I was a superstar. Yeah, true. Silly thought. True thought. True story. True story. But seriously, we had to unlearn a lot of religious routine. To discover what it really means to have a relationship with Jesus, not just performance for him. Yeah. Not just. Performance for him. Performance. That's what I'm talking about. It's not about increasing our busyness, we're busy enough. Mm-hmm. It's not about being busy for him, but it's all about our time with him. So regardless of how long you've been walking with the Lord, if you're willing to explore what it really means to be with him, what it really means to know him, then you are in the right place. Right. You sure are. So here's the challenge. Remember that we don't use the word problem here. Problem, right? Bears a negative connotation. And we don't like to be negative. We do our very best not to be negative, but because in Christ we are overcomers. We are more than conquerors. We, we face challenges. And we overcome challenges, right? So here's the challenge. Somewhere along the way, we turned intimacy with God into a checklist. Read your devotional, say a prayer, Hey, don't forget to get involved with a local Bible study. Right. And then Blemo, you're rocking it, right? Oh, blemo, yeah. Most likely not so much. Right. You know, after all that busy work. Um, I mean, I found myself wondering why do I still feel dry or why doesn't God feel close? And Yeah. And if I'm being honest and, and I'm being honest. I started to think, well, maybe it was my fault. Maybe I'm not spiritual enough. Yeah. And it had nothing to do with that. It doesn't, it doesn't have anything to do with that. That's not what we're talking about. It's not about being spiritual enough. No. It's not about being religious. God's not looking for busy perfection. He's looking for time and connection. Mm. Friends we're not created to be his, his dance and monkeys we're created to be in relation with him, and others we're created to be in relation with him daily in relation with him personally and in relation with him intimately. I think that comes back to relationship, not religion, right? That's it. It's not about religion, right? So here's a little story for you. So, a few years ago, as I was, as I was building Freedom Support Solutions, I was in this crazy busy season. I mean, we were, I was building Freedom Support Solutions. I was working at a law firm. We were leading ministry and I, we were volunteering at church in several different capacities and I was doing hashtag all the things, right? All the things. And I thought I was doing great spiritually because I was busy. I was busy for God, I was doing God's work. Yeah. Busy for God. Mm-hmm. Yeah. That's not, that's not where it's at. I remember that we were, we were leading in recovery and we were serving in several other areas, and we thought we were doing all the right things at the time, but in hindsight, it was a, a deeds based house of cards that all fell down mm-hmm. At the end of, look what I can do. Street. Ooh. Yeah. And, uh, while we, while we were doing all that, we forgot, we, we didn't have time. It, it didn't leave time for us. Right. To just sit. Chill and be still and know that he's God. And that's what we're called to do. We're called, that's what the word says. Yeah. Just be still and know, right. That I'm God, we're called to chill and be still with the Lord. Not do a bunch of religious stuff for the Lord. I like that. Chill and be still. But that's exactly right because you know, during that season my to-do list was too long and my time with Jesus was way too thin. And y'all, I was exhausted. That's what happens when we're too busy to take time with him. Yeah, I was snappy. You can ask Allen. I was burned out. She was a little snappy. Well, you know, you could say, babe, that I wasn't necessarily snappy, but you know, let's be honest, I was snappy. Let's be honest. We've been snappy. We've been snappy, we've been burned out. I was burned out in that season and I've been burned out since that season. It's still pro a process, not for perfection, but I had knowledge of God, but I didn't, I've had knowledge of God since I was a child, but I didn't have relationship with him. And I wasn't spending time with him. At least not the time that he deserved or he desired because he wants relationship with us. Yeah. I gotta admit, I've been there too. Even as a pastor, I've had seasons where I was preparing messages, helping others, right. And quoting scripture. But honestly, inside I was worn out. Worn out because I wasn't taking time to just. Be still. Yeah. And sit with him. I was trying to earn something that he already gave me. He already gave me his presence and all he wanted was my presence in return. Yeah. And I was just too busy. I found myself too busy in no seasons, just to sit in his presence and be still, you know, it's really hard to help other people. When we're not filled ourself. But that time was a game changer for me. I realized that God wasn't waiting for me to perform. He was just wanting and waiting for me to pause and spend time with him in fellowship and listening to what he wanted me to be doing wasn't, yeah, sometimes he, he's waiting on us. Wasn't always, yeah. Yeah. It wasn't always what he wanted me to be doing that I was doing. So how do we raise that? I got good news for you friends. It doesn't have to be complicated. In fact, there's no need to overthink this at all. Whew. Did you hear that? Did you hear that sigh of relief? Yes. Whew. There is no need to overthink this at all. We have a saying around here that sometimes we gotta slow down. To go faster. Sometimes we just gotta get out of the noise every day. We gotta set ourselves up for success, and that starts with doing the right thing for him. Mm-hmm. And here's a few simple ways to get started growing in your relationship with the Lord today, but it's even better if we do it with him. Rather than just for him, because if we're doing it with him, then we're in union with him. We're in community with him. Right. Absolutely. That's what it's all about is being in community. Community with him. With him. Right. But you know, the, the first thing that we can do is we can talk to him like a friend. I mean, we don't have to have the fancy prayers. We just have to be real. I mean, God can handle our frustration, our questions, even our silence, and we don't have to sound quote unquote spiritual. You just have to show up. You just have to show up and be real with him. Yeah. In fact, he came to handle our, Jesus came to handle our frustration. He came to handle our burdens. And, and, uh, that's, that's the reason he came to take that off. Yeah. Of us. Uh, so That's so good, babe. Um, it's pretty cool. You know, it's, it, it, you're, I love what you said there about, you know, just, just being with him, just, just talking to him like a friend because I think it's pretty cool that the, the creator of the universe, uh, sometimes calls me, dude, I. Dude, and doesn't matter. Doesn't mind when I call him dude back, you know? Of course I revere him. You know, that's what the word says, you know? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of all wisdom. Of course, there's reverence there, but you know, I also understand that he's a relational God and he meets me where I'm at. Outside all that relational ball, dude. Huh? Dude, I love it. Right. You call, you call a lot of people, dude. Even me sometimes. Yeah. And bro, and bro, and bro, occasionally. You don't ever call me, bro. But you do sometimes call me occasionally. There's dude. Yeah. No, but, uh, so that brings us to number two. Which is listen, simply listen. Make a quiet space to meet with him. Your quiet space is a no phone zone. Leave the noise outside and go in. That's right. Leave the phone outside the noise, I call. Leave the noise outside and go into your space with no agenda and leave your laundry list out there next to your phone as well. So just go in and say, Lord. Just be still, just sit with him in that, in silence and solitude and ask him, Lord, what do you have to show me today? What is your word for me today, Lord? Mm-hmm. And then sit in the stillness and listen for his spontaneous word. We gotta be willing to wait because if we're willing to wait and listen with no agenda. He's gonna let us know what his agenda is, and his agenda is always higher and greater than our own. Oh yeah. Always higher and greater than our own. Absolutely. So that takes us to number three. Which is invite him into your ordinary. Yeah. You know, it doesn't have to be just time that's set aside. He wants to be with you in the kitchen while you're doing the dishes. Absolutely. Or talking to him in the carpool line. You know, when I used to, I don't have the carpool line anymore, but when I used to, the kids and I were praying on our way and praising him with worship music on the way to school. We had a long drive. Yeah. But praised him. Even when you hit that green light or find the last parking place at Costco Green, because around here, like that's definitely something to praise out for. That's it. I find there, there's a stretch air on canner, you know, and sometimes I'll hit all four green lights, right? And around I'm like, favor of God, favor of God favor God. Thank you Lord. Right. So remember, intimacy isn't about a spotlight. It's not about the spotlight. It's about a secret place with them. Mm-hmm. Friends. The more that we decide to include him in our everyday life, the more that we become aware that he wants to speak with us and he's just waiting on us to make the time to start the conversation. Right. You know, Psalm 24 7 says that one thing I ask from the Lord. That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life. Yeah. To gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple. Now that is intimacy. That is daily seeking. Daily seeking. We wanna seek him daily. We don't wanna strive daily. Yeah. Seeking, definitely striving gets tiring. Exhausting. Yeah. Exhausting. Striving leads to burnout. So here's the challenge for the week. It's your move friends. Mm. Just make one move closer. Yeah, just one move. Maybe that's getting out of the noise for 10 minutes and just sitting in silence and solitude. Start with 10 minutes and go from there. Or maybe for you it's journaling a prayer and see how he speaks to you through that prayer. Or maybe you wanna start out super simple and worship him with your rendition of the kitchen song and dance time. Yeah, just be careful not to fling those dishes aimlessly as your hands go up and praise to'em. That sounds like you might be talking from. Well, you know, I never lost a dish. A few spoons may have gone awry, right? But don't overthink it. Just, just start the conversation. Don't overthink it. He's not measuring your performance. Remember that he is pursuing your heart, which is what he's been su been pursuing since day one. That's a. Well, that's a wrap for this week. Friends, remember, our creator wants to speak with you. Mm-hmm. And he's just waiting on you to start the conversation in your quiet space or behind the wheel or in the kitchen, or. In the bathroom. I'm just saying I've had some good revelation in the restroom, in the shower. It doesn't matter because he's an omnipresent God, right? He's everywhere and he's willing to speak with you when you are willing to start the conversation. Yes. So if this episode encouraged you, do us a favor, share it with a friend and let us know your thoughts by leaving us a five star review. And make sure you're subscribed so you don't miss next week.'cause next week we're gonna be talking about how to hear God's voice in everyday life. Yeah. And that's a, that is such a great topic, one that we get asked about often. And so you don't wanna miss that one. You don't wanna miss that one. Until then, stay faithfully invested and God will bring the increase. Thanks for joining us on Faithfully Invested with Allen and Stacy Jo, if today's conversation encouraged you, challenged you, or helped you see your calling more clearly, don't keep it to yourself. That's right. Share it with a friend. Leave a five star review and keep leaning into God's blueprint for your life, your leadership, and your legacy. So until next time, remember, when you invest in his kingdom, he brings the increase.