So much of what we actually and deeply learn in life comes from what I like to call presencing. It has to do with the powerful and lasting effects of one living being upon another. We leave indelible impressions upon others that we encounter, and they upon us. This is all the more true of our connections with the significant others in our lives. These multiple impressions happen faster than the speed of conscious and willful thought and they set the tone for any ongoing relationship. We need to become more aware of the wonderful power of presencing others … strangers, friends and even “enemies”. We might think of it as a sacred stewardship under God.
We are all designed for attaching to others. Some people have a capacity to attach with more people than others do. Most profoundly though, we are designed to attach to our Creator, the Heavenly Father. In fact, when we dig into the core idea of saving faith (trust) in the New Testament, it can easily be understood and described as a relational attachment of love with the Person and Living Presence of Jesus.
Dr. Jim Wilder, our neurotheologian friend, has said that attachment is the strongest force in the human brain. As a result, we will attach, for good or ill, to someone or … even things … if we are so put off by people from our life journey. And these attachments will significantly influence our brain chemistry and flow, our sense of self (identity) and the course of our daily life. One of the keys then to a flourishing human life is to rise above any unhealthy attachments we have suffered or made and eclipse the pain and hinderances they have caused by establishing healthy bonds of love with God and others … especially with others who are likewise attached to Jesus.
If you wish to take a deeper dive into learning more about “attachment” using methods grounded in scripture and cutting-edge neuroscience, I encourage you to get the resource Living From the Heart Jesus Gave You. This book has helped guide and encourage people like you to go deeper, faster in your relationship with Jesus.
