By Bill Loveless

A new phase of my spiritual journey began when the COVID virus shut down this country in March, 2020, (we will never forget that event, will we!). By the time that occurred, I had already made four out-of-state trips since January and had seven more trips planned through August. 

I had just returned from Memphis, TN when COVID stopped all my travel plans. I was very disappointed because I had some great trips planned to a number of churches. Little did I know that I was about to discover what I believe for me personally is the “pearl of great value” that Jesus talked about in Matthew 13:46. Unfortunately, it took a pandemic for me to discover it. 

Since I now had time on my hands, I began spending more time with the Lord. One morning when I was being still before the Lord, He sent this thought rolling across my mind that I knew was from the Him. He said, “Bill, when you get to heaven, I don’t want to hear these words, ‘Oh, so this is what intimacy is all about.’” 

Those words impacted me like a baseball bat across my face. What I didn’t realize at the time was how much of a divine wake-up call this was! The Lord was revealing to me that there was another part of my spiritual journey that I had yet to discover. 

One morning, I was reading a book that quoted Psalm 27:8 which says: 

When You said, “Seek My face,” my heart said to You, “Your face, O LORD, I shall seek.” Psalm 27:8 

Even though I had read this verse many times, this time I realized God was speaking to me personally. As I meditated on this verse, the Lord put these thoughts into my mind, “Bill, I want you to seek My face which means to seek Me for who I am, not for what I can do for you.” 

I must be honest with you. Before then I had never sought God for who He was. Don’t get me wrong. I would praise and thank Him for being God but it was always based on what He could do for me, for someone else or in some circumstance. I realized in that moment that God was calling me to know His heart. This revelation is what began my new journey to become a man after God’s own heart. 

While my journey is unique to me, I am convinced that God is constantly inviting each of us into a deeper personal relationship with Him. I pray that as I share my journey, it will encourage you to step onto the path of your own deeper journey with God. 

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This post is from Bill’s new book, After God’s Heart (pages 5,6) which is available in print, audio, or as a free PDF download at his ministry: www.christislifeministries.com/