This year, I am focusing on the word SAVOR. I plan to savor my family, my faith, my health, and my hobbies/passions. Join me each week as I share the why, how, struggles, and solutions of my goals—and how you, too, can savor your year.
The worst thing you can do in a relationship is just phone it in.
You’re physically there. You’re nodding at all the right times and doing all the right things. But the second that you hug that friend good-bye or wave your husband off to work, they are out of sight and out of mind.
I’m afraid that this has been my relationship with God lately.
When I’m in my God time, I am focused. I’m doing Bible studies. I’m reading the Word. And I’m praying fervently. But as soon as I close my devotional and take two steps away, I shed my faith like a jacket in summer.
I’m yelling at my kids. I’m scrolling through social media with a critical eye, then turning it on myself. And I’m choosing TV over my Bible when free time finally comes my way.
If faith and a relationship with God could be bought with just the act of showing up and doing all the stuff, then I’d be in. I tithe, study, read the entire Bible year to year, and attend church regularly.
But that’s not what a relationship with God is about.
Developing and maintaining a relationship with God is more than just showing up. Just like a marriage isn’t built on joint bank accounts and me folding my husband’s socks, my relationship with God isn’t built on correctly answered study questions and singing hymns in a church pew.
Faith is the cornerstone of that relationship. So, the goal isn’t to do more, but to do right—or rather, righteously. What happens in my heart and how I express that to the world are an indication of my faith and that almighty relationship.
While true righteousness is out of our grasp—our slippery human hands just can’t hold onto it for long—we can still reach. And that’s where savoring my faith comes in.
Why You Should Savor Your Faith
Taking delight in your faith means more than just going through the motions. It’s not an item to be checked off a list. It’s slowing down to really internalize what you read and learn. To choose to sit quietly with the Lord instead of rushing through a list of requests.
It can be too easy to just get through it, complete what you plan to complete, and then move on with your day. But how many of us can’t remember a word of it by lunch? How often does the hectic schedules we keep or demands of loved ones stymie the connection we are trying to make with God?
I notice that on the days when I am more focused on God than my own plans that I am calmer throughout the day. I yell less, handle changes more smoothly, and get more done.
When I let my faith lead and savor what God places before me, I get farther than I would on my own. Why rush the nourishing of that faith when it enriches my life exponentially?
If you are feeling rushed and resentful, tired and depressed, or like you’re running in place, maybe it’s time to savor your faith and see where than focus takes you.
How You Can Savor Your Faith
Savoring your faith isn’t something that comes with a to-do list. That’s pretty much how many of us get to this point in the first place.
There are only two suggestions I can make for ways to take delight in your relationship with God and in the faith He is building in you.
Read your Bible.
Not as a study or as a reading plan, unless you want to, but just read. Random verses. The psalms. Your favorite letters (I like those to the Philippians). Or your favorite stories (I love Ruth’s).
Read it slowly and carefully, listening for the guidance and wisdom within those pages to touch your heart where it’s needed most. If a verse speaks to you, stop and reread it. Try to see how it applies to your life now.
I can’t even count how many times a random verse has opened up something that has been bothering me, and then brought me closer to a solution.
Pray.
How lucky we are to have a relationship with God, one that offers a direct connection through prayer. So, instead of rushing through your prayers, take a few minutes to sit quietly. And listen.
I’m always asking and telling, but rarely listening. How much richer would your faith be if your prayer life was a conversation instead of a monologue?
Struggles and Obstacles to Savoring my Faith
The biggest obstacle isn’t finding time, or finding quiet. It isn’t finding the right chapter or verse within my Bible’s pages.
My biggest obstacle is breaking through a hardened heart.
Even though my heart isn’t hard the way Pharaoh’s was in the time of Moses, there are times when I can feel the physical ache in my chest, when God is knocking and I won’t answer.
When things get hard for me, I close up and prepare to protect. But my defenses, which keep me from crying when I’m sad or crumbling when I’m overwhelmed, also keep me from loving deeply and connecting wholeheartedly.
My hugs are weaker and shorter. My smiles dimmer. And my faith insubstantial.
If you can’t open your heart to what God is showing you, then you can’t savor the experience of God-loving faith. You can’t feel His mercy or grace, you can’t marvel at His wonders, and you can’t trust Him with everything that hurts.
Solutions
When my own hard heart is keeping me from the ability to savor my faith, I’ve found three things that help…
Breathe.
Clearing my mind and focusing on my breathing helps my hackles to go down for a little while. Often, stress is causing me to move into emotional turtle mode, and breathing has been shown to relieve stress.
Pray.
Yes, I pray about praying. I tell God I’m sorry and ask for help. Who better to soften my heart and help me see?
Deal with the stress in my life.
Whether this means taking a day off, asking my husband to take over with the kids for an hour, or just taking a really long shower, I do what I can to lower my stress level so I can savor my faith and my life, instead of just surviving.
Maybe stress isn’t your problem. Maybe you struggle with time constraints. It might be time to step away from something, so you aren’t rushing and missing the chance to go deeper in your faith.
If you have trouble finding a place, remember that it doesn’t have to be Pinterest-pretty. It can be the front seat of your car, your bed before you shut off the light, or even a folding chair on your back porch. Let go of your expectations. Savoring your faith is a lot more about what’s inside than what’s outside.
Final Thoughts…
My faith is an important part of my life. So, my plan to savor what matters this year means seeking a deeper relationship with God and reaching for righteousness instead of just looking right.
I look forward to how this will impact not only my heart, but my family and the world around me. I believe that God puts a light in all of us to shine—all we have to do is be open to receiving it.
How do you plan to savor your faith this year? What are your biggest obstacles and possible solutions? I’d love to hear in the comments. rich air
If you are interested in other posts about faith and goals, take a look at these:
My Goal This Year to Savor My Family
Love, love, love this! Very thought-provoking. I mentioned in another comment the other day how it amazes me when I hear Mom’s of young children mention how they have no time to read their Bible, and yet, they have no problem wasting 30 minutes on social media.
But I know how that is, I’ve been there before! I prayed for a hunger. That’s why I try to encourage as many moms as possible that it can be done.
LaDonna | Faith Family and Miracles
I love what you said, that you prayed for a hunger. We have to feel that need for God in order to turn away from temptations, like social media, and really focus on him. There are so many distractions in life, I’m glad you are out there encouraging us all to turn in the right direction. Thank you for reading!