Becoming Aware of God

Manners Expert, Emily Post said, "the attributes of a great lady may still be found in the rule of the four S's: Sincerity, Simplicity, Sympathy and Serenity". Do you agree? To be Sincere means showing genuine interest in others and putting them at ease. Simplicity can be that less is more. Sympathy is the ability to share the feelings of others, and understanding that what affects others affects you. And, Serenity is the other word for calm.  

Some days I think I can remember the 4 S's and actually employ them. Other days, someone cuts me off in traffic, I see a friend's home renovation and become dissatisfied with my own life, become frazzled because my kids are arguing every few minutes, and well you get the point.... We think that if only we become more organized, exercise regularly, bleach our teeth, learn how to be financially responsible, and have a good job, we will overcome the obstacles and be successful. But you know that murphy's law of the unknown and the enemy's plot to see your circumstances through your own eyes will rob you of what is already there to protect you - God is in the place where we are.

In Genesis 28, Jacob was forced to flee his family after receiving the blessing of God from his father, Isaac. He ran as a result of his broken relationship with his brother, Esau, who threatened to kill him. It was when he was alone in the wilderness at Bethel that Jacob encountered God personally for the very first time. He had a dream in which Heaven was opened to him. God spoke to him and gave him a promise. It was here that Jacob realized that God was in this place, even though he had not been aware of it. God had to remove Jacob from all that was of comfort to him in order to reveal Himself to Jacob.

How often do we go about our everyday lives and fail to see that God is in our lives, where we are? God had to bring Jacob to a place of separation from his old life and remove everything. When he was alone with God in the wilderness, when nothing could distract him was when he had an encounter with God.

God will do radical things in our lives of His people whom He has special plans for. He will remove your resources in order for you to encounter Him. He will allow pain, relationship trials, sickness, and yes, even traffic jams to remind us that we need Him. He does this as proof of His love and ownership of you, to build a vision into your life. But He wants desperately to get alone with us, to pour Himself into the crevices of our being. Then and then only can we begin to become aware of His presence in our lives.

Although the 4 S's will help you to be a great lady here on earth, remember that stresses are also there to remind you that "...the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it" (Genesis 28:16) We are never alone as believers. Our heavenly Father loves us and desires to fill us with Himself.