Awareness
This week I’m teaching on the reality that awareness of God’s presence is the antidote to anxiety. Jesus taught his followers, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (John 15:4). However, the invitation to abide is easier said than done.
How do we really abide?
What does that look like on a daily basis?
Is that actually possible?
The word abide is closely related to the word abode. A house or dwelling. And indeed, that is the idea behind Jesus’ teaching. He’s telling his apprentices that they are all finding home somewhere. They are all constructing the house of their life on a foundation. To a large degree, we build our house through our conscious and subconscious thoughts. These lead to affections that in turn determine our actions. That’s why the scriptures are very intent on calling us to think about how we are thinking.
Listen to the way the Apostle Paul wrote about this:
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2)
And again in his letter to the Colossians:
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
We could go on, but you get the picture. We have control over our thoughts. I’ve been thinking about that lately because my thoughts are going crazy. Coronavirus seems like it’s charting the course of our collective thinking. I’ve sensed anxiety, nervousness, and a lack of control that have risen in me in a way that I’ve experienced very few other times in my life.
In light of that, I’m sensing the invitation back to awareness of God’s presence. It’s not a magic pill, but it is a transcendent reality. We don’t have to “find” God’s presence, the invitation is to become aware that God is present - and then to live from that reality.
I think Dallas Willard’s words on this are poignant and true. Listen to what he wrote,
“The first and most basic thing we can and must do is to keep God before our minds. This is the fundamental secret of caring for our souls. Our part in thus practicing the presence of God is to direct and redirect our minds constantly to Him. In the early time of our “practicing” we may well be challenged by our burdensome habits of dwelling on things less than God. But these are habits—not the law of gravity—and can be broken. A new, grace-filled habit will replace the former ones as we take intentional steps toward keeping God before us. Soon our minds will return to God as the needle of a compass constantly returns to the north. If God is the great longing of our souls, He will become the pole star of our inward beings.”
Let me offer a few observations. First, Willard makes practical what many of us think is impossible. We can direct our minds constantly to God. That means right now you can become aware of God’s presence - and that’s not wishful thinking, that’s a deeper reality. Second, we can become, over time, people who live from this place. Eventually it can become like muscle memory that forms us from the inside out. We all live from habits that we have formed over the course of our life - some of our habits are intentional and many are unintentional. Practicing the presence is simply a habit. Finally, Willard points out that this is not simply a duty, but that it must be our desire and will become our delight. If it’s not, it will be wholly unsustainable. But making the presence of God a habit is a glorious invitation. It’s akin to saying joy, goodness, beauty, and truth can become your moment-by-moment companions throughout life.
In light of being hunkered down in the throws of COVID-19, may I suggest that this is a great time to think about your thinking? Think about what’s going on in your mind. Practice the presence, after all, it is reality. God IS HERE. God is with us. You might as well dwell on what’s most real.
One great way to practice the presence of God is by memorizing scripture. Try to memorize Psalm 23 or Colossians 3:1-4. Then, repeat it and dwell in it. Let it wash over you. Let Jesus form you.