Lying in my bed as a little girl, I could discern the evidence of my parents’ evening routine: the cleaning of supper dishes, the re-folding of the newspaper, the click of the television being turned on. Knowing that my parents–who symbolized safety and protection to me–were reassuringly close soothed me and allowed sleep to come quickly; I could rest in the reality of their presence. Now I no longer live with my parents, but I am part of the household of God and he tells me, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18). God’s spiritual presence is harder for me to embrace than my parents’ physical one. By faith I must choose to believe he is near. This takes consistent practice and a lot of creativity. How can we do this?
Adopt a Symbol
When my kids were young, I introduced them to this concept by telling them to look for a red bird (normally a cardinal) when they were outside playing. When they had sighted one, I would tell them “God is watching!” In this way, the red bird became our symbol of God’s omnipresence. Now, when I am walking alone in the woods, and I see them peeking out at me from the branches, I feel He is spoiling me with his attentive presence. Find a sign in your everyday life that will symbolize God’s nearness. Not only will spying this special symbol be a delight to your own soul, but if you share it with others, it can become a prompt for them to pray. My friend Jody chose the Monarch as her symbol, so whenever I see one, I thank God for my sweet sister in Christ.
Look for Evidence
I am not a natural optimist, so I have to train my eyes to see the good. I tend to notice all the things that are uncomfortable or inconvenient instead of seeing God’s gifts. Lately, I have retrained my brain to see the lavishness of God’s provision by speaking aloud to myself. If I feel the cool wind on my face as I sit on my porch, I say, “That is good!” If I fix a hot meal to feed my family, I say, “That is good!” If I hear the early morning song of a robin outside my window, I say, “That is good!” If my dog prances with joy on his morning walk, I say, “That is good!” In all of this self-talk, I am reminding myself of the things God has put in front of me that are purely gifts of his grace; gifts like his creation, his provision, my health, my abilities, my freedoms. God has surrounded us with gifts in our ordinary lives. If we look around, we will see them and be reminded of how very much he loves us. What do you see, hear, or feel right now that can help you focus on God’s lavish grace?
Count your Blessings
Sometimes I find myself pouting, “Woe is me.” I look at my situation or season that I am “enduring” and label myself as a victim. Do you struggle like me? If you are a Christ-follower, you are not a victim; but you are more than a conqueror through Jesus! (Romans 8:37). How do we live as conquerors? We give thanks. Gratitude is the antidote to my pity party. As I met with my friend Molly this week, we decided we needed a reboot in the thankfulness department, so we made a plan. We agreed to each keep a “Blessings Journal” to remind us of God’s love and provision for us. I started mine, just two days ago, by recording three blessings I noticed each day. Just looking for these blessings throughout my days has changed the way I think about my life. Rather than feeling sorry for myself, I have ended the previous two days feeling overwhelming gratitude for the life I am living. What a difference it makes when we turn our eyes from ourselves and onto the Giver of all good things!
When we adopt practices to remind ourselves of God’s reassuring closeness, we can rest in the security this God-awareness brings. When we learn to see him in the very ordinariness of our everyday, practicing his presence becomes as natural as breathing. When we still ourselves long enough to hear his still small voice, we will hear our Father say, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Let’s look. Let’s listen. Let’s linger. Let’s live in his love. God is watching!
Parents of Goers 