How to Be More Present
I have the best of intentions but sometimes I really struggle to be present. I sit down to play with my kids and my mind wanders to laundry, the grocery list and that appointment I need to make. I take time to get a massage and all throughout I’m thinking about when it is going to end and where I have to be next. I sit with my toes in the sand and the ocean right in front of me only to find myself staring at my phone and scrolling for options for next year’s vacation.
In a busy world full of distraction and constant pressure to be doing something and going somewhere, it can be nearly impossible to be present. In fact, it has become our normal to find ourselves rushing from one place to the next, overwhelmed by to-do lists, always feeling behind before we start and never feeling like we have the time to connect with others as we’d like.
But that’s not how God wants us to live.
God created time and the way we experience it.
He gives us separation of years, seasons, days and moments for a reason. It is human nature to want to skip over the difficult years, the uneventful seasons of our lives and the mundane days and instead look to more exciting times. We live for milestones and mountain top experiences but the truth is, God has a purpose for every moment He gives us.
Every moment we are given is an opportunity.
We can give or receive love, learn and grow from our experiences, serve others with our gifts and talents, build relationships, give Him glory and experience joy. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” (NIV) Notice the scripture does not say, these are the days the Lord has made, as if to focus on more than one for the sake of efficiency. No, the psalmist says “this is the day”. He is focused on the here and now and making the choice to rejoice and be glad.
If we are always thinking about what’s next, we cannot be available for this moment.
If we are always thinking about what’s ahead, we miss out on precious opportunities to grow, build relationships and experience God’s best for us in the moment.
Being present is a choice.
In our busy culture, it is not an easy one. The psalmist said, “I WILL rejoice and be glad”. He is determined in his focus and his attitude. We must endeavor to be present in our moments and rejoice in the day God has given us. With so much negativity and uncertainty in the world around us, we have the opportunity to share the peace and security God offers His children through the way we interact with others and how we approach every moment He gives us.
A prayer for times of distraction: Lord, help me to choose to be present today and see every moment as an opportunity to show love, serve others and grow in you. Amen.
