It was a quintessential November morning – steely skies hanging over bare branched trees and brown fields resting for the winter. John and I started out driving east towards Wisconsin on 494, heading to my hometown in the suburbs of Chicago for Thanksgiving.

I was happily zipping along when suddenly I had to swerve to keep the car on the correct route. I had automatically prepared to get off on Rt. 5 – the road that leads to the airport because I drive there so much.

I was on auto-pilot. Not paying attention.

Think of all the things you do mindlessly out of habit. Maybe some of those routines have to do with your relationship with Jesus.

For thirty years John and I knew exactly what to expect at church.

We knew the words to the songs. The way to do communion. The rhythm of the service. It was comfortable. Familiar as my favorite tattered sweatshirt.

But there has been an advantage to not being committed to ministry at one specific church for the past year.

As we’ve attended over 20 churches, often we haven’t known the words or how to do communion, or if people raise their hands, or kneel or audibly say “Amen!” during the sermon.

There have been different styles of worship, and different environments for gathering – stained glass windows and schools and office buildings. It’s often been uncomfortable, but stretching in a healthy way.

I show up expectantly. Listen more intently to God’s Word. See with fresh eyes. Have my assumptions challenged.

A study has been done that says we stop thinking about the lyrics of songs after singing them thirty times. The familiar can be the enemy of spiritual growth.

John and I used to remind each other: “There is nothing so dangerous as the habitual handling of holy things.”

Mark Batterson writes,

“If we aren’t careful, we aren’t really worshiping God; we’re just lip-synching.”

Being shaken up in our expressions of worship, has made me think about how shaking up other spiritual routines might be a good thing.

  • If you don’t usually kneel when you pray, try it.
  • Listen to a new worship song.
  • If you read a set devotional, try just reading and reflecting on God’s character in a passage of Scripture instead.
  • Or try walking and listening to Pray as You Go app.
  • Experiment with bullet journalling.
  • Maybe you do the same thing every Advent and it’s time to try something new to open your eyes to the wonder of Jesus in a fresh way.

What would you add? Share in the comments!

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