How do we track connecting to God?

Here is a list of different ways we typically try to connect to God.

1. Naturalist--Romans 1:8 --This person tends to gravitate towards creation and beauty. They have a spiritual gate that appreciates beauty. The danger of only seeking God in this way is escapism, trying to get your buzz off of beauty hits. We should be able to recognize beauty as from God and not worship the thing that is beautiful.

2. Sensate--Isaiah 6:7, Jer.1:9--This person loves sights, sounds, and the senses. Communion and baptism are sensational experience. The imbalance can come when we feel God does not speak to us unless I get to finer paint or get a hug.

3. Traditionalist--Rom.14:5-6--This person loves routine and meaningful repetition. This is part of connecting with God but this can easily become imbalanced if that is all you do. It can end in religious repetition, pride, and neglecting mercy for your plans.

4. Ascetic--1 Cor.9:27--This person wants to sacrifice something. They want to give up something from their lives to connect with God. This is a beautiful thing if it is to connect with God, but when it becomes an end instead of the means it is death. Pain to gain God's favor is idolatry.

5. Activism--Ps.7,190--This person loves kingdom causes, mercy, and justice. These are great things but when we move to judging ourselves by statistics and charts, and being better we move away from Jesus.

6. Caregiver--The good samaritan--The imbalance can result in finding your identity in serving alone all the while neglecting those who are close to you. Often times there is misunderstanding of need verse calling.

7. Enthusiast--2 Cor.12:1-6--This person loves to experience highs emotionally through bodily expression. They can easily fall into the trap that unless they have an emotional experience God has not spoken to them.

8. Contemplative--Ps.1:1-2--Finds God in silence and solitude and intense study. This can easily become lacking in service and experience addicted. "I am doing my devotions so I yell at my kids to shut-up."

9. Thinker--Prov.1:5-7--This person is highly rational, careful, and practical. They can easily become imbalanced with learning and no real transformation, while loving debate without love.

As I studied through this I realized how each of these aspects is imbalanced alone. I need to carefully consider how each of these is intended to connect with Jesus. They are not an end in themselves. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. What helps you connect to Jesus? Lately, for me, I have been signing my prayers to express my gratitude to the Lord recognizing my prayers were becoming so self-centered and overly contemplative and rational. The Lord is worthy of our praise and love.