Awareness

“Practicing the presence” has become a catchy phrase in the Christian world, but what does it actually mean when someone uses it? At the core, practicing the presence involves cultivating a way of life that enables us to become aware of and be present to the God who calls himself “Immanuel, God with us.” God is everywhere, omnipresent, always. He doesn’t just show up when we’ve decided to notice him.

How can we live in a way that we become more aware of His omnipresence? When we intentionally incorporate practices into our day that turn our thoughts toward God, we practice the presence. This can look different for all of us based on what would be helpful to us. We can place symbols, verses, names of God…in various places in our home or office to bring our minds back to God when we see them. We can pray breath prayers, short phrases or sentences, throughout the day. We can let emotional triggers like joy, awe, frustration, sadness, anger or anxiety turn our thoughts into a conversation with God. We can even set reminders on our phones to remind us of His presence.  

What impact would a heightened awareness and attentiveness to God make on our daily lives? Can God sightings become more of a regular occurrence? It’s worth adding in some daily practices to find out!  

Biblical references: John 5:19, 39-40; Ps. 90:1; Ps. 139; Acts 17:28 

For more on practicing the presence and awareness of God:  

Books:  The God Hunt by Karen Mains and Practicing the Presence by Brother Lawrence 

Podcast: Practicing His Presence The Hope Collective 

Article: The Eight Spiritual Essentials Part 4: Practice God’s Presence by Kenneth Boa 

Retreat: Living in the Companionship of God by Jan Johnson. (This is a free personal retreat around the topic of how we are with God throughout the day.)