Mornings are my favorite time of the day. As soon as I wake up, I slip out of bed and onto my knees and I commit my day to Jesus. Then I fix myself a cup of coffee with almond milk creamer, and I sit at my little table where I keep several Bibles, a couple of commentaries, and my journal. I put on some music, hug my warm mug, and I thank God afresh for salvation, for new mercies, for His living word, and for His promised presence in my life. Then, I read His word and listen to what He has to say to me.
Some of my most treasured times with the Lord have taken place at that table; times when God brought comfort to my troubled soul, or reminded me of a promise He intended to fulfill, or when He brought the much needed wisdom my heart so longed for.
Recently on Middays I spoke with Dr. Gary Chapman about his amazing book, [amazon text=God Speaks Your Love Language&asin=0802418597]. Through much observation and many interviews, Dr. Chapman came to realize that our love language not only impacts how we relate to others (and how we receive love from them), our love language also impacts how we relate to and hear from God.
For instance, if your love language is physical touch, your most moving experiences with God will involve God’s intervention in your life in a way that impacts you physically. And, you may be most at home in a setting where believers express themselves in a demonstrative way.
If your love language is quality time, you may find your most intimate times of fellowship are in a quiet place apart from other distractions (that’s me, all the way). Dr. Chapman writes,
“When someone’s primary love language is quality time, uninterrupted times of communion with God are not difficult but joyous, not burden causing but burden lifting.”
If your love language is words of affirmation, you may find yourself completely undone by songs and by passages of scripture that affirm God’s great heart for you. Dr. Chapman further writes,
“From beginning to end, the Bible pictures a loving God who declares His love by speaking words of truth, comfort, and redemption. Such words of affirmation are a love language that God speaks fluently.”
Isn’t that just the best news? God knows how He made us and He intends to speak to us in a way that our hearts understand. If you’ve trudged along in your faith journey, looked around, and wondered why you don’t seem to feel the connection that others do, maybe try this: Get to know your love language, and seek to connect with God on that level. I promise you, He wants to connect with you!
A word to the wise here: We have such a tendency to be suspect of every way except our own way. But what if we sought to better understand those we wonder about? What if their love language differs from ours, and what if God is speaking to them in a way that affirms how He made them?
Though it’s our natural inclination to stay in our lane where we’re comfortable, Dr. Chapman encourages us to grow as followers of Christ. The more we seek to understand and even operate in the different love languages (physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service, gifts), the more we’ll flourish in our relationship with God and in our relationships with others.
“We begin by speaking our love to God in our primary love language. This is the one that is most natural for us. Then, we learn new dialects of that language. Eventually, we begin to learn the other four languages, one by one. Thus, our relationship with God is forever growing. We are becoming more and more like Christ. This is God’s desire for each of His children. ” – Dr. Chapman
We are so fearfully and wonderfully made!
Rejoice today that God not only made a masterpiece when He made you; He is also masterful when it comes to communicating with you. May you cultivate a new sense of expectancy in your walk with Him. He’s a good, good God and He loves you more than your heart can fathom.
I pray you’ll get the chance to listen in to my conversation with Dr. Chapman. I believe it’ll encourage your heart today.
“How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.” Psalm 139:17-18