Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? You observe days and months and seasons and years! I am afraid I may have laboured over you in vain.

Galatians 4:8-10 (ESV)

Is there anything you're doing to make yourself acceptable to God?

The Galatians returned to the works of the flesh after being duped by the Judaizers to follow the law. They were striving to gain God's favour by making certain days and times more sacred than others. This Old Testament division between sacred and secular areas is obsolete since the Holy Spirit's abiding presence inside us demonstrates that the barrier between the two no longer exists.

The Holy Spirit goes with you and follows you everywhere you go. This is due to the fact that you are the sacred temple in which God dwells within, and as such, you bring God's presence and power with you wherever you go.

If we limit or restrict our encounter and experience with God to specific days and locations, we return to trying to win God's acceptance based on our self-efforts and activities in what and how much we do for Him. That means we haven't really grasped the gospel, which reveals to us that we are acceptable to God because of what Jesus did on the cross.

Understanding that God lives within you through the Holy Spirit transforms how you live your life and how you treat others around you. Hence, wherever you go, no matter how "secular" or "unspiritual" the setting may be, you may make it a sacred space for an encounter with God. You may bring God's presence into the situation, and His power is more than sufficient for everything. This explains why Jesus could heal a demon-possessed man living in a cemetery and why Paul did not die after being bitten by a snake.

It is not where you are but God who is with you and within you that makes the difference.

God is never hampered or held back by your surroundings, but by surrendering and trusting in Him, you will witness His manifested grace and strength through your obedience and actions.