I’m not saying the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. That’s a spirit of discontent or jealousy. That kind of move usually leads you from one brown pasture to another.
Because wherever you go — there you are! Most of our problems are less about our circumstances and more about our character.
So what do I mean by inviting you to imagine yourself in a better place?
I mean for you to stay right where you are. That sickness. The stress at your job. The tension in your family. Your financial need. Your longing for a closer marriage or a real friend. Wishing it weren’t so won’t help you. Probably you can’t quickly fix it.
The first step to changing your situation is to change your attitude. That’s where your imagination and prayer come in! (We call this a “Watch and Pray” exercise.)
Imagine yourself and your circumstances with Jesus in the Father’s world.
Right now as you hold your phone or sit before your computer you can imagine Jesus as the Light of the World coming to you.
Tell the Lord about your problem and how you feel…
See his shining face…
Imagine his smile of delight in you his precious one (Zephaniah 3:17 tells you that the Lord rejoices over you with singing!)…
Feel the warmth of God’s love tingle on your skin…
“That sounds wonderful Bill, but how do I experience this?”
Visualize yourself in a Gospel text.
The best way to imagine yourself with Jesus in the Kingdom of Light is to use Ignatius of Loyola’s ancient approach to meditating on a Gospel passage. It’s a refreshing and inspiring approach to Scripture.
You read the text slowly, using your senses to enter in. You imagine yourself as a character in the story.
You using your mental capacity to visualize to see yourself with your Lord in a Bible scene. In this way, you listen to him “speak” into your life situation with a thought, image, or feeling from the text.
Try Soul Shepherding’s Ignatian Meditation Guides. They help you to imagine yourself in a better place.
This week on our Soul Talks Podcast: “Imagining Yourself in a Gospel Adventure!”
Ignatius’ ancient approach of visualizing ourselves in a Gospel story helps us to actually experience and feel God’s grace — and then to live it out in our work and ministry. This is the first episode in a new series on the Classics of Christian Devotion! You’ll be inspired by some of the best soul books of all time!
