Mentally Speaking

I started working on this particular post several weeks ago, but didn't post it. I took another look at it and well, here it is.

Take a moment and visualize. That's all I want you to do- just visualize. How do you view that which is most important and vital to your life?

For example, I view:
My parents as my counselors and friends
My brother as my best friend
Time as the most precious thing I can give anyone
Life as a journey (This is not a cliché comment, not every personality type views life like that)
Christianity as a relationship, not a religion

How you visualize something greatly affects how you act in relationship to that idea or person.
Basic? Yes.
Obvious? You would like to think so.

Stay with me.

Making a list of priorities is fairly important in this society, wouldn't you agree? There are lists on what to list on your list of priorities, books, talks, etc., etc., on the very subject. You have work priorities, school priorities, family priorities, life priorities...is the word priorities looking and sounding weird now?

We are a very priority-orientated culture.

Again, I think we can all agree that the people, projects and "things" at the top of the list get more time and attention than those toward the bottom of the list. But it's often a fight to keep that which we have deemed as being worthy of holding that top position in said position. Conversely, it is easy for priorities to change. So let's be honest, the best-constructed priority chart is still a very liquid list.

For as useful as this is at focusing our energy and resources, I would like to propose that visualizing our relationship with God in the same way is not such a good idea. In fact, it could be a hindrance to growing in our relationship with Him.

I came across the following example about four years ago and it has stuck in my mind. I wish I could remember exactly where I read it, but that isn't going to happen. 

What if we visualized God as the hub of our lives from which everything else radiates, like spokes on a wheel?

                                                            Google Images

How does that change your image of your relationship with God? How might that change how you interact with Him?

Arranging our lives with God as the hub means that He is going to have a greater chance to affect every aspect of our lives. We don't have to pencil Him in. We don't have to fight to make Him a priority. If we have placed Him at the center of our lives (and it is a daily choice) then He IS going to transform us and perfect us.

I think God deserves to be at the center of our lives, and not just at the top of our priorities.