Let the whole earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. Psalm 33:8 CSB
Perhaps you have wondered how you can truly identify “awe,” not mistaking it for simple excitement. I did, so I took a little dive into what scientists, sociologists, and psychologists say about this human experience. I found that identifying your "awe" involves recognizing moments of vastness and majesty that shift your perspective, calm your mind, and make you feel connected to something larger, often characterized by a "small self" feeling. Awe is found in eight principal areas: nature, music, visual design, spirituality, moral beauty, collective movement, life/death, and big ideas. That was compelling to me. All eight areas either directly connect with who God is or derive from the gifts He has specifically given to humans.
We feel awe when we are amazed at things outside of ourselves. Nothing will fuel that more than a daily relationship with God that recognizes Him as Almighty Creator of the Universe AND tender Father. When we feel awe, we are enthralled, curious, open-minded, and humbled. Our minds and bodies both experience it. We may weep, whisper “Whoa” or “WowoWow,” or become wide-eyed and breathless, or be able to spot Him in countless places.
We might think of awe as associated with rare, peak experiences, but it’s available to us much more often than we may realize. Not only is the benefit of living in the awe for which God created for our spiritual good, it helps us physically. Biological evidence shows we need awe. In our daily lives, we are easily organized around our personal goals, such as succeeding in our careers, acquiring possessions, being fit and healthy, or indulging in our hobbies and interests. We think of ourselves as independent and operating distinctly from others. We rely on our own ability and agency to achieve what we set out to accomplish.
Attention fixed in this self-focused mode damages relationships and makes us vulnerable to arrogance and hubris or the opposite: self-criticism, anxiety, and depression. Awe of God in close relationship with Him allows us to transcend both our anxiety and our arrogance. We have someone bigger than we are who loves us more than we can imagine and takes responsibility for all we entrust to Him. Being captured by awe of our Creator and Companion is the wisest, safest, most dependable and rewarding method for navigating life in our wavering world.
- Salvation cannot be minimized. But the lives that are truly transformed and transforming are marked by more than belief. They choose to be captured by awe of God. They can stand because of their awe of Him.