A Prayer to Feel God's Presence When You Need It
By Keri Eichberger
"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?" - Psalm 139:7
The past week had hit me a bit by surprise. It shouldn’t have. You’d think I would have learned by now that the introduction to summer will no doubt always throw me and any work-at-home parent into a stir-up of crazy. And you may know this drill. On day one, you prep a quick family meeting with simple guidelines in hopes of creating a little more order and avoiding an absolute mess 24/7. Or, you put in some extra prayer time to set up your soul with sufficient stores of peace to manage the uncertain winds ahead. But regardless of how prepared you think you are for some seasons, you become abruptly reminded that typically, life isn’t that predictable–for heaven’s sake, kids are almost never predictable–which means we certainly shouldn’t be surprised when a life adjustment creeps in with some chaos alongside it.
Here’s the challenge for me in these moments, though. And I wonder if you ever find yourself here, too. When life gets a bit out of whack, and my pace picks up a notch, I start to feel a degree of disconnect from God. And what’s worse is that I know he’s what I need the most at times like this. The obvious solution seems to be to pause and spend more calm and quiet with the Lord. And though this may very well be true because we are always blessed when we increase our time with him. I found another truth to be helpful in my recent whirlwind when I struggled to slow down and swelled with guilt for not making more space for isolation and prayer. I mean, what I’d been alternatively doing with my time wasn’t bad. Serving my kids and husband well. But I needed to remember something specific in my swirling and stirring that I hope gives you a boost of encouragement and hope today, too. It’s this:
If you are sensing some sort of disconnect from God but desperately long to feel the grace, comfort, and peace of his sweet presence, will you remember that he is just as connected to you in the seeming distance as he is in the moments you experience his greatest intimacy? It’s true you’ll benefit by taking longer pauses to acknowledge his closeness. But even if just for a moment, let this truth sit, swell, and dwell within you. That as a child of God there is nothing you can do, nowhere you can go, to be removed from his spirit and presence. Nothing. Trust me, I know it feels like sometimes the Lord isn’t as close. Like his presence is lacking and not lingering. (Likely because I’ve been more distracted or running too fast.) But that couldn’t be farther from the truth.
I know what the Bible repeatedly says. It says he is with me, he is with me, he is still and always with me, and he is with you. forever. I know you need his presence. You need his strength, his wisdom, to feel his arms wrapped ever so tightly around you. You and I need him for everything—every hour, every minute. And remember, he is most certainly there—closer than ever.
Let’s pray:
Good heavenly Father, You are everywhere I go. You see everything I do. You lead me, guide me, protect me, comfort me, and love me. I praise you for this truth. Lord, so often, I get wrapped up in all the swirling events around me. My tasks and to-dos, the expectations of myself and others, and just the fast-paced modern culture. I need to know you are near, yet sometimes I forget how close you actually are. Help me remember you are not only always near, but you are behind me, before me, and within me. Nothing could be closer. Regardless of my acknowledgment of your constant presence, you are indeed there. Help me acknowledge you. Help me be more aware of you so that my life may be enriched by a confident, unshakable knowledge of your light and that I may better reflect your radiance to those around me. Thank you for your unfailing companionship. In your ever-present name, amen.
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