Renewed & Ready: Filling Your Soul For The Year Ahead – Week 3

Paying Attention to Delight

“Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”                –Philippians 4:8 NRSV

On Altar Retreats this past year we encouraged our guests to have a day of delight—to pay attention to what brought them joy through the day. Then, in the evening, we reflected with them about what they noticed, and then asked them what was bringing them delight in this season of life. I was surprised that many of our pastors and ministry leaders struggled with this simple reflection. Some seemingly didn’t have time for delight or they had difficulty giving themselves permission to experience it.

How about you? Do you delight in the evidence of God’s blessings in daily life?

Noticing what brings us delight is yet another way to marvel at God’s goodness.

As the Apostle Paul writes, “… think about these things.”

Here are some ways to think about these things:

Are you giving yourself permission to notice God’s daily blessings? If not, why not?

What is it that brings you joy? How can you regularly engage with this source of delight?

“If you cultivate a healthy poverty and simplicity, so that finding a penny will literally make your day, then, since the world is in fact planted with pennies, you have with your poverty bought a lifetime of days.”  –Annie Dillard

_{Steve Ebling | December 2024}