SENSE OF WONDER

I have a young granddaughter who recently told me she was afraid of spiders but admitted she never looked closely at one. We grabbed a flashlight, and on a mild fall evening, we went out behind the house in search of spiders. Several hours later, we returned after looking at dozens of spiders, their intricate webs, and the various bugs and leaves the webs ensnared.

I had walked through those trees after dark before, but I had never taken the time to look at all that inhabited them. It took a four-year-old girl to teach me about wonderment. I used to have it; where did it go, and how can I get it back?

“He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.” – Albert Einstein

A sense of wonder is a feeling of childlike delight, amazement, and admiration at the world’s natural state. It refers to that feeling of grateful awe in the smaller things in life. It drives that natural desire to know more about the world around you, like a young child with a curious mind.

Wonder gives you a positive feeling and makes you pause in appreciation for those things like nature that are greater than you are.

Here are a few of the benefits of a sense of wonder:

• Overcome boredom – By fostering a childlike curiosity, you can rejuvenate your interest in the life you already are living, even without changing a single part of your routine. This desire to explore hones us in on the present moment, which creates a powerful sense of wonder towards even the most everyday things. We start to realize that everything, even our routine, is an entirely new experience.
• Relationships deepen – You’ll judge people less, and you’ll feel more compassionate and interested in their stories. You’ll be listening closely rather than just thinking about how you’re going to respond. People are fascinating.
• Joy will flow in your life – Studies tell us that happiness comes from change and variety. If we intentionally create a sense of wonder, we recognize that each moment is an entirely new and fresh experience.
• More playful, whimsical, and fun – The curiosity that arises from this sense of wonder will help you observe unique things around you. You’ll laugh with more spirit, be a little more daring, and the happiness will bring a little more skip to your step.

Throughout the Bible, we see the many wonders of God on display. We see God’s wonders in His miraculous acts and His mighty deeds. Moses proclaimed, “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11).

God’s wonders proclaim His omnipotence, His ultimate authority over all. They show us that He is here with us. The wonders of God lead to a sense of awe—there is no one like Him. God is constantly offering us beautiful glimpses of His presence with us in our world. Yet, too often, we don’t notice because we’re so preoccupied with the details of our lives that we don’t look beyond them to what God is showing us.

Think and pray
If your focus has shrunk down to just trying to get through each day, it’s time to enlarge your perspective so you can enjoy an abundant life that’s filled with wonder. Business leaders and entrepreneurs need to regain their childlike sense of wonder. God has created this world for us to enjoy. So grab a flashlight this evening and go looking for spiders—let the childlike wonder return to your soul.

Lord, give me a heart of wonder in this day. Return to me a sense of amazement at Your bigness and goodness, and Your work in this world. Amen.

Philip W. Struble is the President of Landplan Engineering and is passionate about helping business leaders steward their companies in a way that honors God. He is the author of Zebedee and Sons Fishing Co.: Business Advice from the Bible and hosts a weekly blog atwww.zebedeeandsonsfishingco.com. Philip and his wife, Stephanie, have four adult children and currently reside on a small farm in rural Douglas County, Kansas.