Flow and Flowing Faith
Have you experienced Flow? I have to admit that when I am writing I can burn all the cooking even if I am just 10 feet away! The writing process is so exhilarating that I can’t help it. My husband knows this and he calls me on my cell to wake me up from Flow when I need to tend to some everyday stuff in the midst of my writing time.
According to Wikipedia “Flow is the mental state of operation in which the person is fully immersed in what he or she is doing by a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity. The hallmark of flow is a feeling of spontaneous joy, even rapture, while performing a task.”
The father of the concept of flow is Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a University of Chicago professor. Wikipedia tells us that Flow is so named because during Csíkszentmihályi’s 1975 interviews several people described their ‘flow’ experiences using the metaphor of a water current carrying them along. The psychological concept of flow as becoming absorbed in an activity is thus unrelated to the older phrase “go with the flow”.
I would stretch that the concept of flow explains very well what Christian spirituality is at its best. Wikipedia mentioned only eastern religions practicing flow-like meditations. But already Martin Luther talked about meditation as a Christian practice. And it is also mentioned in the Bible.
But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. (Psalm 1:2, AMP, emphasis added)
In my opinion, Christian’s union with Christ is very much a flow experience. When Christ lives in us and we are one with God in the Spirit, it most definitively is an experience of flowing faith.
And the grace (unmerited favor and blessing) of our Lord [actually] flowed out superabundantly and beyond measure for me, accompanied by faith and love that are [to be realized] in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and true and worthy of full and universal acceptance, that Christ Jesus (the Messiah) came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am foremost. (1 Tim. 1:14-15, AMP, emphasis added)
Flowing faith is a gift from God, pure grace, meant for everyone who desires to be with God. Christ has paved the way to God by dying on the cross for our sins. Now it is up to us to accept the invitation to be made right with God through faith by grace. Christ wants to abide in us and pour grace upon grace on us so that we could experience flowing faith now and forever.
Gracious God,
Thank you for inviting us to be with you.
Thank you for showing us the way back to you.
Thank you for the gift of salvation.
Abide in us, give us flowing faith!
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Q4U: Have you experienced Flow? Or flowing faith?
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you experience flowing faith!
This post is refurbished from 2009. Photo courtesy of Marian Trinidad, design by Mari-Anna Stålnacke. Linking up today with Sharing His Beauty, Hear it on Sunday, use it on Monday, Playdates with God, and counting blessings with Ann Voskamp: #1071 Flowing Faith is possible by God’s amazing grace!
4 thoughts on “Flow and Flowing Faith”
Hi, I’m your neighbor at Michelle DeRusha’s place….flow…yes, I have experienced it, but not too much lately. I have been struggling with my writing. I love this post, it gives me some food for thought. Thank you!
Hello, neighbor! Thanks for visiting and chiming in! Glad this post blessed you. There is time for everything. Abundant blessings to you, Mary!
Love this post on “flowing faith” at Flowing Faith. 🙂 It’s his grace upon grace. It is such a blessing that our union with Christ does produce a flow experience. I often experience it when I’m writing as well.
Praying you have a blessed week flowing in the river of his grace!
Thank you, Lisa! 🙂 Yes, God’s goodness towards us is unstoppable! Thank you for your kinds words and prayer! May God bless you according to your needs!