Selah: Practicing His Presence

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Through the years, I have gravitated toward the spiritual disciplines practiced for centuries by those who follow the teachings of Jesus. At first, I was intimidated to learn about them because they sounded too arduous. I now realize I didn't understand their purpose. Since then, I have found the disciplines to be wonderful gifts that help me connect with God throughout my day and experience His presence within my every day life.

Most recently, I have enjoyed the discipline called  Practicing His Presence*. There are many ways to do this, but I find that I need a tangible reminder to actually do it while I live life. I use a scented candle that I can light any time during the day to help me practice this discipline. For me, the candle is a visual reminder that Jesus is ever-present in my life and that he said, "I am the light of the world (kosmos)." After a while, I may forget the candle is lit, but the scent fills the room. When its fragrance gently touches my senses, it reminds me to pause and remember that God is with me. Sometimes the pause turns into a prayer of gratitude. Sometimes I lift up a request for help. Sometimes I ask for forgiveness for unkind words recently spoken. Sometimes I just need to enjoy its light and God's presence when it feels like chaos around me. 

I took a picture of the candle on our dining table in the middle of the day last week. It captured life happening around it. It was a day that ended with temper tantrums. A day I lost my patience. The candle is not magical. It doesn't make the day go perfectly. It doesn't make me act more "holy" or my kids behave better. But it does help me to stop and remember that God is with me. It helps me worship God, who I believe, entered this life and experienced the same things we experience. A life filled with work, exhaustion, laughter, tears, dirty dishes, laundry, frustration, love, and cranky people. 

One night last week when the candle was lit on the table, God reminded me to ask my son if he wanted a "do-over"... A chance to go back to when we called him to dinner before all the wrong choices started. He didn't want it. We told him that even mom and dad use "do-overs" with each other. We just say, "Can we start the day over again?" Some days, we just need a "do-over."

I wish that lighting a candle made my days go smoothly and my relationships easy. It doesn't. I light it because I need a physical reminder to stop and listen to God. I light it because I want to be a woman who acknowledges she needs God's help and wants to learn to worship Him with her every day life.

I light the candle because I know He longs to show me how.

*Practicing the presence of God is a way of life where we engage in continual conversation with God; walk with Him in love, humility, simplicity, and faith; and do nothing and think nothing which may displease Him, because that is God's will for us.