Spiritual Pathways: Naturalist

Do you feel connected to God as you walk in wonder in the outdoors? Do you feel His presence so strongly? Spiritual pathways are how we feel most connected to God. If you resonate with feeling close to God in nature, you may find that you are a naturalist, connecting to God in His creation. This post is all about the spiritual pathway of a naturalist.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). He is the creator of everything that surrounds us. When I go for a walk, when I see the sunset paint the sky, when I hear the thunder rolling in and the lightning light up the sky, I feel closer to God. Spiritual pathways are considered pathways in which people often feel they connect with God best. Read more on spiritual pathways here. Here, we will be talking about how Naturalists can best connect with God as well as considerations and cautionaries.

I always knew I connected with God in nature. I was so in awe of His creations, how tall the trees were, how blue the sky was, the vastness of the ocean. It wasn’t until recently I experienced God speaking to me through nature. I was on a trip in the Eastern Coast of Canada in little PEI and thought I could be among the first to catch the sunrise and wake up with the sun. Although it wasn’t the most special sunrise I had seen, it was most certainly the most special I had experienced. As I watched the sky in anticipation, I saw the clouds forming, covering the sunset but creating what looked like two hands (at least to me). At that moment, I felt God telling me He was my comforter. Later that day I coincidentally (God-coincidence) read a devotion on God’s invisible hand. That He is in control of all things and will orchestrate and arrange His will to be done in our lives.

It may not be evident to most, but I know I was meant to receive that message from God and that was really what mattered.

Considerations

The naturalist pathway offers a way to connect with and feel close to God in the outdoors, knowing that He was the artist behind all that we see. God can speak to us through His creations; through the beauty as well as His power and control. Through the calming seas and the raging thunderstorms, Naturalists can see and savor God’s glory and discover spiritual truths through every aspect of nature, big and small.

Scripture to Ponder

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God;  the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Psalm 23:2-3 2  He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Psalms 95:1-5 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

Cautions

When I first started to explore nature and realize how fond of it I was, I was so in awe. I would rush to see the sunset or cumulus clouds, I would be so excited for the day when the sky was the truest blue. I became so in awe of the creation I overlooked the Creator. God creates a new sunset every day, He makes each snowflake unique, He created the tallest mountain and the deepest canyon. Let’s stand in awe of our creative God. How He envisioned and created each flower, carefully selected the colours that surround us, all from nothing. What an amazing God He is!

Activities for Naturalists

1. Listen to worship music and praise God in nature
2. Read your Bible outside and meditate on scripture as you are surrounded by nature
3. Go for a walk and be intentional about shifting your focus to be in awe of the creator, how God was the artist of all you see

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There are many ways to feel closer to God and there may be multiple pathways you align with. God chooses how He wants to speak to each of us uniquely. Remember above all, that we hold His truth in our hands through His word and that spiritual pathways are not a substitute but an additional way to connect with God.