Welcome to Monday Minute With God. A place to start the week right and tools to keep you in the word all week long.

The Presence of God

2 Cor. 10:5; Romans 1:20; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 14:23; John 15:5

Do you have a person in your life that you always look forward to being with? Maybe it is a friend or a family member? Maybe it is your spouse? You know that when you are in the presence of that person, you feel good and at peace. I have a really good friend from high school that I do not see very often. We keep in touch through facebook but rarely get to see each other. One thing I know for sure is that when we get together, laughter soon follows, the kind of laughter that has tears rolling down your eyes. My husband’s presence is one that I miss whenever he is gone. The simple fact that he is near gives me peace. Relying on always being able to be around the ones whose presence I seek is impossible.

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][tweetthis]God is always here, always available. His presence is at your fingertips and will bring you peace, comfort and joy.[/tweetthis]

There are many examples of God’s presence in the Bible. It can be defined as God’s initiative in encountering people. It is sometimes referred to in the Bible as “the face of God”. Practicing the awareness of His presence should be part of your daily spiritual habits.

“If the heart wanders or is distracted, bring it back to the point quite gently and replace it tenderly in its master’s presence. And even if you did nothing during the whole of your hour but bring your heart back and place it again in your Lord’s presence, though it went away every time you brought it back, your hour would be very well employed.”

St Francis De Sale

Distractions are everywhere. Some we create, some we do not. Do not let those distractions separate you from experiencing the presence of God. Here are 5 ways to practice the presence of God. Feel free to add to it!

1. Take every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5). Your mind will naturally wander. Gently bring it back to being still and listening.
2. Practice thanksgiving (Romans 1:20). This simple practice of being thankful will bring you closer to God. Every time. Guaranteed. Try it.
3. Be all there. “Wherever you are, be all there.” Jim Elliott. You will never be able to experience God in the moment, if you are not present in that moment. Slow down and be where you are. Do not let your mind take you to a different place and through a list of things that you need to take care of. When you are playing with your kids, be there. When you are walking down the street, be there. When you are in line at the grocery store, be there.
4. Stop worrying (Isaiah 41:10). Take your worries to God right away. Why? Because worrying is practicing the absence of God’s presence. I know that it is NOT what you want. “Peace is not the absence of troubles but the presence of Christ” Sheila Walsh.
5. Be still (Matthew 14:23). The bottomline is that we already are in the presence of God. What is missing is our awareness of that fact. Being still takes you to this awareness. Michael Hyatt, a famous speaker and coach to top executives advocates this practice of being still. Start with 15 minutes everyday of simply sitting still with no distractions, no music, nothing. If top executives have the time for that, so do you.

Think about it

1. How do you experience God’s presence?
2. Do you practice experiencing God’s presence daily?
3. How is experiencing God’s presence and peace related?

Daily reflections:

Day One: Exodus 33:14

Read this verse today, slowly. Spend time reflecting on the beautiful truth of this promise. What does it say to you?

Day Two: 1 Kings 19:11-13

Read today’s verses a few times. Think about all the distractions that you have in your life. Take a piece of paper and write them down. Spend time today alone with God. Allow those distractions to come and go and wait to feel God’s presence.

Day Three: Psalm 51:10-11

Read this verse. Dwell on its truth. Meditate on what it means to you. When you are ready earnestly pray this to God.

Day Four: John 1:14

Read this verse a few times today. The truth that is contained there is hard for the mind to comprehend and fully absorb. Dwell on this today as you go about your activities. What practical ways can you make this a reality in your life?
Day Five: Psalm 46:10

Write this verse on a flashcard or a post it note or a pretty piece of paper. Place where you will see it every day. Starting today start practicing 15 minutes of doing nothing but sitting in God’s presence.[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]