It's Not a Formula

One of the things that often traps people from experiencing the presence of God is overthinking it in the first place. They think that there is a specific way to do it, and if they do not do it that way, they won’t get it right. Like someone who gets overwhelmed with a big goal and never starts, many people don’t go to church or pray to God because it seems too lofty.

Not everyone is like this. But especially for organized, type A personalities, not having a path can be daunting. If you’re like me, you want a list, an example, or a book with practical instructions. While there are certainly principles that help us experience God more, enjoying his presence is never more than a second away. I felt convicted by this while reading the Christian classic,The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence. In it, he says the following:

“People seek for methods of learning to love God. They hope to arrive at it by I know not how many different practices; they take much trouble to remain in the presence of God in a quantity of ways. Is it not much shorter and more direct to do everything for the love of God, to make use of all the labors of one’s state in life to show Him that love, and to maintain His presence within us by this communion of our hearts with His? There is no finesse about it; one only has to do it generously and simply.”

It's easier to invite God into everything than to pick and choose. Like Brother Lawrence, who humbly brought God into every task he did, we can do the same in our modern world. We might not live in a Catholic order, but it’s less about what you do and more about who you do it with. Considered another way, Brother Lawrence also writes this about God’s presence:

“Think about God as often as you can, day and night, in everything you do. He is always with you. Just as you would be rude if you deserted a friend who was visiting you, why would you be disrespectful of God by abandoning His presence?”

God is never more than one second away. He only feels far off when we push him away and choose the way of the world. But for those who desire him, he will come near and fill us with his presence.