Have you ever wandered a museum, taking time to slowly move through a space dedicated to thought-provoking beauty? You expect to see beautiful things in a museum. Beauty, however, is not reserved for galleries, the same way moments with Jesus aren’t reserved for Sunday mornings. This kind of beauty, presence, and joy is everywhere for those who stop, look, and listen.

Psalm 27:4-5 says, “I’m asking God for one thing, only one thing: To live with him in his house my whole life long. I’ll contemplate his beauty; I’ll study at his feet. That’s the only quiet, secure place in a noisy world, the perfect getaway, far from the buzz of traffic.” Life is like a museum - an invitation to expect beauty. However, unlike a museum, God is not an object to be observed, rather a personal God to be known, to interact with, to be shaped by.

Brother Lawrence, a 17th century monk was described by a friend as someone who “resolved to do all he could to live in God’s presence and, as much as possible, to never forget his Lord.” Robert Elmer is an author who compiled Lawrence’s wisdom in a book called Practicing God’s Presence. Inspired by Brother Lawrence, here are 3 ways to practice God’s presence:

Stop. Become aware of God’s presence. Scripture helps! Revisit Psalm 27 - how is God revealing himself to you?
Look. Where am I seeing your goodness?
Listen. Where am I hearing you speak?

Brother Lawrence says, “To love someone, we first have to know that person. To know God, we have to think about him. Then when we come to really love him, we’ll think of him a lot…and on it goes.” Do you hear the pattern in his words? Stop. Look. Listen.

Whether it’s meditating on the character of God and a life characterized by him in the Psalms or setting random alarms throughout the day to help you stop, find ways to expect the joy that is found in God’s presence!

3 Ways To Practice God's Presence