Don't miss him

God has blessed my husband and I with four daughters whom all are very different from each other.  With time, you come to pick up on individual character traits that make them unique.

 

One for instance, can get super “hyper-focused” when engaged in an activity.  

 

It’s very difficult to get her attention if she’s in the middle of watching a show, reading a book, or playing with her toys.

 

My dad will often stop in for a visit and it can be an hour later that she will acknowledge it with an “Oh, Hi grandpa!”  

Sometimes she misses the entire visit, with an “Oh grandpa was here? ”

 

I’m convinced, that’s exactly why so many are not able to experience God’s presence. We have this tendency to become consumed and “hyper-focused” with our worries and current circumstances.  Thus, we totally miss God’s visit, whether it’s collectively at church or secretly in the prayer closet. 

 

If your prayer begins and ends with everything you need and want God to do for you, like my daughter, you never took your focus of you.  You will not feel the burden of your difficulty lifted or lightened because your focus was on it the entire time. 

 

The secret to experiencing God’s presence begins with taking the focus of you and acknowledging him.  

 

And we do so with genuine praise.  

 

I love how the passion translation of the following verse words it. 

 

You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him and affectionately bless his beautiful name!  (Ps. 100:4 TPT)

 

Beginning with praise is the “password” to God’s presence.  

 

His presence is a place of perfect peace and tranquility.  The Bible calls it a place of rest.  The burdens of life suddenly become very light and insignificant.  He may even speak something to your heart.  Simply because you put your focus on God and acknowledged him.  

 

 

The more you practice taking your focus of you, the more the burdens of life become insignificant.  

 

If you pay careful attention, you will find that those that seem like they have the most carefree lifestyle really don’t have any less worries or difficulties.  They’ve simply become habitual “praiser”s and those difficulties no longer have the ability to weigh them down.   

 

 

“Don’t tell God how big your problem is, tell your problem how Big your God is.”   -Author Unknown

 

 

Supporting Text

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  (Matt. 11:28 NIV)

 Matt. 14:22-33 

Peter walks on water while his focus is on Jesus.  Peter sinks when his focus is on his difficulty