Noticing the Invitations in Life
What’s on my mind today? Noticing the invitations in life. One of the ways I have discovered God’s presence in my life has come through recognizing and responding to the invitations that have been extended to me.
An example of a rather significant invitation is the one I received in October 2017 - the invitation to leave full time church music ministry. It wasn’t an easy invitation (especially because I had no idea what was coming next), but it certainly was a compelling one, and deeply personal.
“Will you come and follow me, if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same? Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known, will you let my life be grown in you and you in me?” These lyrics where the actual invitation - lyrics I heard in rehearsals with our youth and adult choirs in the weeks leading up to my response.
Recognizing this as a sincere invitation from God to move in a different direction was the beginning of me looking back over my life at other invitations. As I noticed and named those invitations in the process of remembering those parts of my story, I began to realize this very personal way in which God speaks to me. And I believe it’s most likely the same for you.
At first, I thought I was just doing what other people suggested, like: accompanying my high school choir, changing from a voice major to a piano major, attending graduate school, accepting a call to ministry after the third invitation, noticing what I took with me as I left the church, applying for an interim church music position, and becoming a trained spiritual director, to name a few. But, I came to understand these as invitations and responding with a “Yes” led me into something new and transformative.
The idea of noticing the invitations in our lives has been front and center in my soul lately. Oftentimes, we wonder if God is present in our lives. Noticing and naming the invitations is a great way to see what God is doing.
To be clear, I’m not suggesting that everything asked of us is a God-breathed invitation, but rather that we notice our response to the invitation and where it has taken us on our journey. In doing this reflective work, we begin to notice God’s ever-present Presence in our lives in a very personal way.
Rather than seeing God as ‘out there,’ we begin to notice the God-in-here. Your invitations won’t look like mine because we’re each a unique expression of God and our gifts are different and are needed in different ways within our circles of expression and influence.
Taking a loving look back for these invitations and being reminded of the story that unfolded and how we ourselves unfolded as well, helps us memorialize the moment in a way that helps us remember while heightening our senses to notice them more and more as they are occurring.
One of the biggest challenges to noticing anything is our struggle with being fully present. Mindfulness skills like breath work and centering prayer can be helpful - where stillness is invited and the mind is allowed to relax by making space for the present moment.
Another key to noticing the invitations is to begin recognizing the gift of repetition. Sometimes we miss the moment and it comes back around or it’s that invitation that won’t leave you alone. Invitations come in big and small ways. Noticing the repetition can be another way to recognize God’s presence.
If your heart’s desire is to experience God’s presence more in your life, noticing the invitations is a great place to focus. God is always showing up in our lives. Sometimes the invitations are big, but most of the time they are simple and personal.
So, if you’d like, take a few minutes to stop, put down your phone or tablet, take a few deep breaths, and invite God to help you notice some invitations you’ve experienced in the past or some that are happening right now for you.
Where and how is God inviting you to participate? What is being asked of you? How will you respond? Then, have a conversation with God. Tell God what that invitation means to you and what it stirs up in you and then ask God what that invitation means to him and why it is coming to you right now.
May you find connection with God’s presence in your life today as you look for the invitations that are being presented. May your conversation and your “Yes” to begin noticing God’s invitation strengthen your connection with God.
May peace and love surround you today!