Daily grind or holy day?

As I dusted off my hiking boots and cleaned out my backpack for the last time this summer, I yearned to linger just a little longer in the refreshing atmosphere, relaxed routine, glorious views, and delightful company of friends who had made my vacation in the mountains so fulfilling. But duties called me home. Soon enough, I would be back to work and my regular routine.

Yet, I wondered whether I had to go backward. Couldn’t I go forward into continued refreshment? Was there a way for the daily grind to be less of a grind?

Perhaps the term “holiday” might give a clue. Holiday is a compound of the words “holy” and “day.” Might there be a way to experience the “holy” every day?

To look for holiness throughout our day is to look for evidence of God. We innately know what is holy because we feel it in our hearts. It connects us with something greater than ourselves – to the infinite Love that is God.

We may catch a spark of this holiness as we look in awe across a breathtaking vista ablaze with the color of wildflowers. Or, it may come to us late at night as we pray for a solution to a problem, and ideas come that exactly meet our need. Or, an intuition comes that moves us exactly at the right moment out of harm’s way. The feeling of holiness isn’t dependent on being in a particular place but is felt in the spiritual sense of God’s presence that comes in those special moments.

Holy moments transport us out of the confining limits of materiality. Material-mindedness is behind whatever drabness, pressure, and grind we might feel within our experience. Spiritual-mindedness, on the other hand, rests and restores and brings practical solutions to light.

The Bible records Jesus saying, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). The interpretation of Jesus’ words by Bible scholar Eugene Peterson in “The Message” – referring to times when we’re tired, worn out, and even our religious practice might seem wearisome – says, “Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. ...” (Matthew 11:28-30).

What Jesus’ life pointed to was Christ, the truth of God’s spiritual, perfect creation, which is the true identity of everyone. His central teaching was that the kingdom of God is a present reality (see Mark 1:15). And he taught that we experience this reality as we turn our thoughts from a material outlook to the recognition of spiritual reality.

Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, wrote, “Jesus prayed; he withdrew from the material senses to refresh his heart with brighter, with spiritual views” (“Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” p. 32). Following Jesus’ example, we can experience a fresher, brighter sense of life too.

This true vacation – vacating the limitations of material-mindedness for the infinite scope of divine Spirit’s view of life – brings healing.

One time I was struggling mentally and physically. Nothing seemed to bring joy. I had a lot of work to do but not much motivation to do it. Additionally, I wasn’t feeling very well physically.

My prayers ended up being mental gripe sessions rather than inspired communion with God. In this instance, withdrawing from the material senses meant to quit ruminating over the problems. Instead, I needed to start my prayers by considering what was true from God’s perspective.

For every trouble that appeared real from a material outlook, there were spiritual facts about God’s nature that countered them. Where a difficult relationship saddened me, I saw that divine Love was the only true connection – holding everyone in loving relationship to one another. Where lethargy and lack of motivation impacted my work, I recognized that divine Spirit was infinitely supplying the inspiration and power to be rightly active. Where illness and depression threatened my well-being, I realized that God, divine Life, gives us permanent health and happiness.

As my thought shifted toward God’s viewpoint, so did my experience – health, harmony, and happiness were restored.

Effective prayer opens our eyes and stirs our heart to see and feel the goodness and power of God that undergird our lives. As a result, we find the holy presence of God showing up in moments of such tender grace and gorgeous brilliance that ordinary days transform into extraordinary ones. Daily prayer replaces the daily grind and reveals the sweetness and sacredness of life, the holiness at the heart of each and every day!