Divine Infusion

For nearly 48 hours over Christmas break our family determined to just be together. We left home and hunkered down in the upstairs of our barn (think, mini-lodge). No work, no obligations (well, at least very few), no agenda.

The objective—to enjoy each other (play, laugh, sing, dance [okay, only me], take walks, watch movies, play video games, have Nerf gun fights, listen to worship music, read, do nothing). To just relate and relax.

And it worked, mostly.

The first full day of our retreat laid out beautifully, just as I had hoped. We opened our exchange gifts the night before and in the morning, “Santa” gifts.

The day flew by as everyone really seemed to enjoy themselves. It was a precious time of creating memories and strengthening bonds. The only mar: Rachel had a doozy of a cold, which affected her behavior somewhat.

An inspirational movie wrapped up the day. And looking forward to relaxing with a book after the kids were tucked in, I moved to usher Rachel into her pajamas. However as I approached her, I realized the perfect scenario had dissipated. Reality set in.

Rachel was soiled and would take quite some time to clean up. It would be unpleasant and take energy I didn’t want to expend. I felt the frustration mount.

As I tried to make our way downstairs without spreading the muck, self-pity threatened to engulf me. It often does. After all, we had spent the past 10 years working with Rachel on not making those messes, with very little success.

But then something completely unexpected happened. On the third step down, I begin to hum and then sing. Song lyrics from worship music I had been listening to all day flowed unbidden from my lips: “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Amazing Grace,” “O Holy Night.”

With each word sung and each tune hummed, my jaw began to unclench a little more. Almost miraculously, love, empathy, and joy replaced all the anger and disappointment.

I worshiped. Grace flowed.

I praised. Laughter rang.

In the end, I was able to clean up my 13-year-old daughter with gratitude, even enjoying the one-on-one time. A most unusual, welcomed response.

I doubt I will be so gracious every time. The next episode may be different. I may let the flesh speak.

But for this instance, because I saturated the day with things of God, with praise and thanksgiving, when difficulties sprang up, my default was worship. I responded in the Spirit.

“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5).

This is a simple concept but not easy to implement. Apparent but often overlooked.

It all boils down to what we fill our minds with.

It is about letting the divine infuse our very being, bringing our default reactions more closely in line with those of the Lord instead of those of man.

In doing this we become true projectors of His grace, love, and light.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you” (Philippians 4:8–9).

Worship music is an important means by which I focus on the Savior. How do you saturate your life with the divine?