some reminders...

[Just looking back through some things... stumbles across this old post from 2014...see below... Because The Spirit is coming on strong, yet again... :) take care and God blesses you!]
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"Those who are in fellowship with their Lord are no longer veiled from Him by the claims of this world and the afflictions of the worldlings, for they enjoy always the delight of being close to Him and the joy of having abandoned the visible for the things of the invisible world, the temporal for the eternal. . . . There is nothing to be despised in him who has refused to lay up treasures on earth, in order that he may secure unto himself the treasure of entrance into the presence of His Lord in the life everlasting."  --derived from a desert saint

It really cannot be repeated and recalled enough--the call to maintaining daily, constant adoration of the living God.

Ah, but so many things get in the way!  The whole world is in the way.  The other is in the way.  The self is in the way. . . . And here is where the temptation to pantheism steps in to give some reprieve and solace.  For if everything is God--if the universe itself (and thus all that is in it, which includes the world, the other and the self) is God merely disguised in multitudinous and changing forms, then by adoring, even worshiping that "everything", we think we are being holy and need not employ the difficult work of discrimination, of judging.

The pantheist says "all is God, so who are you to judge whether this or that is good or bad?  All is good, adore it all!"

But the Word of God says we are to discriminate, to judge; and we are commanded not to adore or worship the creation/creatures.  And thankfully, God has given us a sure, unchanging standard by which to judge things; which is why the worldlings hate and attack it constantly.  They want to be worshipped and adored, and play a game of taking turns worshiping and adoring one another . . . but God's Word forbids it, and the Truth seeker is amidst incessant spiritual warfare, whose main characteristic is to be either deadened or distracted from the supreme holy purpose of glorifying (adoring) the one, true and living God.

There should be nothing so alarming to the seeker/believer . . . than to realize he or she has gone days . . . without really remembering the purpose of life (which is to glorify God).  It is bad enough (and something we all do) to forget God for hours at a time, distracted by self and worldly concerns, but when days go by, let alone weeks, months or years, where we are caught up only in temporal, material, worldly and selfish interests . . . the remorse and fleeing to repentance ought be swift, fast and deep!

Is there anything more difficult, however?  Not only do we suffer from the mind-swirling noetic effects of sin (of the Fall), but our hearts, bodies and very souls are shot through with perversity and corruption.  Not to mention that the whole world is under sway of the evil one--art, religion, civil culture, science, technology, entertainment--the general thrust of secular society . . . are nearly all being used by the nefarious spirit to assault God and His people continuously, relentlessly, violently, occultly. . . . It is astounding and an apparent miracle in itself that any of us are able to break free to some small degree to genuinely Hear or See the Truth!

But even with God's grace, Who reaches down to shake us awake, and clear the scales from our eyes, it is virtually impossible to stay mindful of Him, His sacrifice, our purpose for longer than moments at a time; and most of the time we are woefully distracted, spiritually sloven and given largely to vain and selfish, animalistic pursuits.

There is one thing you can always do, though, even if you are not feeling it, to show your true, spiritual, Godly intent, which every righteous soldier in this battle should do . . . and it is to stop . . . in the midst of the malaise or confusion . . . and turn to God.

So, let's say you startle out of the worldly trance and realize you have been drifting, getting far from Him, and you are sincerely alarmed.  Turn to Him and repent for your unmindfulness; ask that He help you remember your purpose.  This is a means of grace.  He wants you to want Him; He wants you to yearn for relationship with Him; for this you were made.  Just in showing Him that you care about this issue is pleasing to Him, whether you are presently feeling it or not.  Do not worry overmuch that your heart is not in it if it isn't, but let your mental assent lead the way.  You know you should be serving Him, glorifying Him and tell Him you know this, despite your falling short.

Just in this turning, this reorienting towards Him, however meager it may, is, in a sense . . . worth more than all the treasures of the world you could amass.  Here is the seed of your glory, for one day He will perfect you in this purpose and there will be no end to the joy it will entail . . . as you fully and completely reside in the purpose for which He made you.

Yes, now it is a faint thing, a dim light, a barely trifle moving. . . . But even this small thing--the awakening to the desire to please and serve and glorify Him in its tiny seed form . . . is bigger than the universe in its ultimate ramification!

Strive to be mindful, conscious, purposeful toward Him, amidst the noise and deflection, for this is what He wants to see in you.  Take comfort that you even care enough to try, to work out your salvation in fear and trembling.  He turns none away who do this, as He has promised, as His Word is true!  God bless you, saints-in-progress!"