The Waiting Roomናሙና

Day 2: Be Present

There’s a song we used to sing whilst growing up that said: “live your life, live your life, don’t worry about tomorrow." These particular words are true and align with part of the Sermon on the Mount in Mathew 6:34 when Jesus said: “So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own."

Worrying about what’s to come, if it does come and when or how it will actually come, steals from the joy and blessings each day brings. Lamentations 3:22-23 reminds us that despite what we may be going through, God’s mercies are new every day. But if we are not fully present with where God has placed us, we won’t be able to bask in these mercies. When we are not present, we deprive ourselves from experiencing God’s full measure of goodness in our lives, in a particular moment or day.

So what does it take to be fully present?

Well, presence requires acknowledgement, not of the big things alone, but more so of those that seem small and insignificant.

Acknowledgement of where you are: if you are at work, be at work. If you are playing with your children, focus on that and not on the number of things you still need to get done. Because of how life is set up, our minds are always consumed by all the tasks ahead of us. We worry about what we’ll eat tomorrow, if we’ll have enough of this or that, forgetting that the moment we are in is what matters because the next one isn’t promised.

Acknowledgement of your surroundings: today, take a moment to look around at what’s surrounding you. Count the number of trees on your regular route to the shopping center. On your way to work, look at the type of buildings that make up your city. Close your eyes and listen to the freeing sound of birds chirping outside. After a long day, look around you and behold the beauty that surrounds you and thank God for it.

Acknowledgement of how you feel: when you are present, you become more in tune with your feelings. Is your spirit unsettled? Are you feeling anxious and doubtful about a decision you are about to make? Are you feeling joyful? It is positively impactful to allow yourself space and time to feel. Gift that to your soul so it can rest in the perfect peace that God has promised.

When we are fully present, we get to realize that things aren’t so bad in the waiting room. In actual fact, there’s many more things to be grateful for. When you are feeling challenged by a situation and being present proves to be a challenge, ask God “Lord, what are you trying to teach me in this season of life” and then wait for a response.

Being present is about acknowledging where you are but with the confidence that no matter how dire things may look, God will work it out. Then leaning more into Him, to be able to hear Him speak and guide you through the valley, just like He did David, Job, and many others in the Bible.