Our attention is pulled in countless different directions every day, if not moment-by-moment. We might be wrestling with the shame, regrets, and disappointments of yesterday, or the fears, worries, and uncertainties of tomorrow. And while these have their place, they can leave us disconnected from the true source of our power – God who is present here and now in each moment.
To be sure, God is not limited by time. But we often miss him when our attention is stuck in the past or worried about the future. And this can leave us both depleted and spiraling downward.
Learning to take moments to regularly practice the presence of God here and now refreshes our souls and empowers us with his life.
Of course, we can see this in our relationships with others. Reminiscing on the past or dreaming about the future together is not the same as living in this present moment with each other. And it’s being present here and now that our souls are most enriched.
And generally this is not something we just fall into. It requires us to intentionally turn from our many distractions and practice tuning into each other. Despite all the cares and concerns of our day, we allow ourselves to simply settle into each other’s presence, to breathe deeply, and renew our weary souls.
And this is our practice with God as well. We practice casting all our cares on him – giving him everyone and everything that concerns us, as we learn to rest in his presence to receive his life and love. And it’s through this power that we’re able to accomplish all that he’s called us to do.
We become a dead and useless branch when we don’t stay connected with God in this present moment.
In the end, the cares and concerns of this life are many and great. Find the peace, power, and love of God by staying open to his presence here and now.
Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash
