Awareness

"We cannot attain the presence of God. We're already totally in the presence of God. What's absent is awareness." Richard Rohr's words as quoted in David G. Benner's awesome little book, The Gift of Being Yourself.

As a newbie on this Christian spiritual journey, I remember crying out to God for a billboard road sign for the answers to decisions that lingered over my life. That would be the easiest way to know His will, to seek for "signs" outside myself.

Then as my journey deepened through practicing many different spiritual disciplines, I realized that God speaks, as the Bible says, "with a still small voice." He's speaking. But, most of the time, so are we. We desperately seek to hear Him, but we rarely take the time to actually listen.

Awareness of His presence takes practice. As we give time to quieting our lives, quieting not just the outer noise, but really practice quieting the inner noise, we begin to see His touch everywhere, in all ways, in all places. Suddenly it's as if we wake up to our lives with God.

One way I quiet myself is through creating art. Especially in an area that I know nothing about. Sounds strange, I know. Most recently I explored my creativity through an unfamiliar art form - water colors. The act of water coloring and having no idea what I was doing set the stage for listening to my heart and listening to God.

Another way to quiet myself is a walk, jog, or rail trail bike ride. Some outside activity where I don't have to think about what I'm doing. I only need to prayerfully ask God to give me eyes to see and ears to hear deep in my heart. These dedicated times are for me and Him to "hang out." To give time to one another.

"What God wants is simply our presence, even if it feels like a waste of potentially productive time. That is what friends do together - they waste time with each other. Simply being together is enough without expecting to "get something" from the interaction. It should be no different with God." David G. Benner, The Gift of Being Yourself.

Grace & peace as you become more aware of God's presence around you ~ deAnn