20. As I grow in my relationship with Jesus, I find that my attention is less on my activities and more on Him.

(Before looking at the questions below, take a few minutes to think about this statement. Invite Jesus to speak to you about what He would like you to notice.) 

Imagine the spiritual activities you have that are most helpful in connecting you to Jesus. (Think Scripture reading, serving, journaling, etc.) Now think about how you experience Jesus in this activity and ask yourself, and Him, “Could I have the same connection without the activity?”

What could be the benefit of developing an ability to connect with Jesus without needing a spiritual activity?

What might be the danger of putting our focus on our spiritual activities?

In the early stages of our journey with Jesus, our spiritual activities, the ways that we connect with Him, are essential in getting to know Him. These activities, both the corporate and the private ones, the laws, the disciplines and the practices, are essential for the relationship to be established and to develop. 

We will always need spiritual activities to support our relationship with Jesus, but as our relationship deepens, as we come to know Jesus as friend and companion, our spiritual activities will become less important. There are two things to consider here. The first is that we can become more connected or dependent on the activity and less on the person, Jesus. 

Consider a musician. At the early stages in learning to play, the musician focuses on the instrument, practicing, learning how to play and becoming comfortable and familiar with the instrument. But over time, the musician will become so “one” with the instrument that the focus shifts from the instrument to the music, to the beautiful melody that is created by the musician and the instrument. 

So too, in our journey with Jesus, it will take time before we become “one” with our spiritual activities, before we no longer notice the activity and simply enjoy the person of Jesus, Spirit, or Father. There is a second way that our activities diminish in importance, similar to the first, but slightly different. In the first example, there is a shift from focus on the activity to focus on the Person, but the activity is still needed. In this second shift in 

our use of spiritual activities the activity is actually no longer needed. Imagine the developing relationship within a marriage. At first, the couple often engage in shared activities as they come to know each other. They dine out, take hikes together, play games, attend concerts or movies, join groups, cook meals together, and so on. The activity is important in this journey as it provides a common ground and a shared experience. At some point in a marriage, spouses know each other well enough and are comfortable with each other so that a shared experience is no longer needed. The couple can connect directly with each other, without the need for an activity that joins or connects them. 

So too in our walk with Jesus, we can come to a place where we do not need a specific activity to connect us to Him; we simply experience His presence, in words, thoughts, feelings, impressions, or even in silence without making any effort or engaging in an activity. Like the marriage analogy, this deep relationship with Jesus will take time, but in the end, the relationship we enjoy makes it worth the time and effort.