Lent 16: Presence

16th March 2017- Lent 16: Presence

To seek God's presence can often feel like trying to catch fog, questioning where He is in the midst of everything or in the blank space of silence. To capture a glimpse of the presence of God both fulfils and satisfies and creates a deep inner longing for more but what happens when that moment appears to be just a brief experience, touching our souls and changing our hearts in a moment yet the next finding us barren and dry?

Practising the presence of God appears to be a momentous task of re-tuning our minds to be constantly aware of the presence of God with us and within us. It comes through the transforming of our minds. Turning our thoughts from ourselves to God. From looking inwards to find satisfaction to looking upwards to find connection. 

Firstly, the act of thanksgiving is fundamental in providing a basis for learning to dwell in the presence of God. It turns our mind from a selfish nature to thanking God for everything, in all circumstances. 

Secondly, the act of dwelling in the presence of God comes through knowing him intimately. When you are in a crowded room and you look around, your eyes automatically seek out and connect with the familiar face amid the sea of strangers. So it is with knowing the presence of God. To fix your eyes on Him in all situations your spirit connects to God, you seek his face in the room of strangers. In the mundane tasks, in the quiet moments, in the rush, in the traffic jam, in the catastrophe, in the morning, in the evening. Seek to lock eyes with God and you will know his presence.

We cannot escape the presence. He is always with us. In the desert seasons, he is there. In the daily grind, he is there. In the sudden life changing moments, he is there. Whether he chooses to reveal himself in a tangible, unquestionable way or whether it feels like we're wandering alone, He is always there, shining his face down upon us, smiling on us. 

Often when I find it hard to feel the presence of God, I rest and turn my thoughts towards Him. I connect my gaze with His and rest, knowing He is looking down on me with a smile on his face. I dwell in that moment and feel His presence surround me in a way words do little justice in describing. I know that God is with me in that moment, constant and unchanging and if God is with me then, nothing will change when my circumstances do. x