Experiencing God’s presence and pleasure

Mon, 1 May 2023

‘In Your presence is fullness of joy.’ Psalm 16:11

If you were miserable before you met Jesus, it’s easy to make the mistake of thinking that the only place His presence can be enjoyed is in church. No, you can enjoy His presence everywhere. At home, at work, at school, in business, and even in times of suffering and adversity. Brother Lawrence, a Carmelite monk in a French monastery, wrote the best-selling book, The Practice of the Presence of God. He resented his daily routine in the kitchen. Then God showed him that everything he did each day could be done for God and with God. That truth transformed his life. You can cultivate your mind to be more productive, and you can also cultivate your spirit to be more sensitive to God. You can reach the place where you sense His presence and His pleasure in all that you do. Believing God is present with you won’t help you much if you think He is always upset with you. But when you see yourself as accepted in Christ, you realise that He is not only present with you at all times but pleased with you (see Ephesians 1:6). That will radically change your thinking about God. There are dozens of things pertaining to everyday life, and you can enjoy them all if you just make the decision to do it – getting dressed, going to work, organising things, running errands, grocery shopping, etc. After all, these are the things life is made up of. Joy comes not merely from being entertained but from a decision to be grateful for each moment you are given as a rare and valuable gift from God.