Connection and Peace with God in Nature
Being in nature is a wonderful reminder of how God wants to meet us in and through His creation. I know when I feel tired, stressed, overwhelmed, and heavy-hearted by the complexities of my life and this broken world I live in, I turn to nature and contemplate His creation. Nature lifts or is a thin place in the veil between heaven and earth. Nature is one place where God is clearly revealed. I am reminded of this in Romans 1:20:
“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Being out in nature helps me understand the qualities of God in a different way. I see His power, creativity, and the intricacies of the world He created. I slow down and breathe in his glorious creation. I feast my eyes on all the colors in His palette and marvel at His work. I listen to the sounds that surround me: wind, birds, animals, rushing waters, etc. I touch plants, rocks, dirt. It is where I am freely able to marvel at God’s handiwork. By entering nature and taking myself out of my “norm” I can focus my whole being on His creation.
“For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” - Isaiah 55:12
“Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.” - Psalm 96:12
Nature is also the place I go to be surrounded by all of nature singing out songs of praise and worship to the Creator. It is like a bubble of applause and joy. I imagine it is like the continuous worship we will experience in Heaven. In this place, the cares of the world fall away and my spirit joins in this symphony of praise. It is here that I am able to readjust my soul/spirit. Sometimes I join in the song by singing praise and worship songs and other times I sit quietly in the glory of His love.
Ideas to help you encounter God in nature:
*Taking time to be in nature does not mean setting aside hours of time. It can be as little as 20 minutes of focused attention.
*Go on a hike with no destination in mind and no goal to achieve. Take time with the creator. Slow down to notice and focus on what is around you.
*Notice your surroundings: the smells, sights, temperature, sounds. Touch things – if it’s safe, of course!
*Study the details of something that catches your attention.
*Remind yourself that God is with you. Imagine Him sitting right next to you and enjoying creation with you.
*Take a journal with you and draw something you focused on. Write a prayer or any thoughts that came to your mind.
God made the earth for us to enjoy. Nature is a source of beauty, inspiration, rest, and healing. It is a place where we don’t have to look at it from a distance. We can get up close and be a part of it. We can enjoy the diversity of God’s craftsmanship in a powerful way. There is rejuvenating power in God’s playground – the natural world.... time spent in nature is transformative.
By Susan Little
A resource to use:
https://www.soulshepherding.org/pray-a-psalm-in-its-nature-setting/
