Experiencing God's Presence #238

Experiencing God's Presence #238

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

Isaiah 26:3

We’ve seen that there are two ways for our sense of God’s Presence to increase: for us to draw near to Him by “practicing” His Presence and for Him to draw near to us by manifesting His Presence. Brother Lawrence, the famous monk best known for practicing the Presence, became an intensely focused worshiper. He saw many around him trying to experience God’s love by learning methods and principles, and it seemed unnecessarily complicated to him. He chose instead to intentionally worship as constantly as possible, to fix his thoughts on Jesus’ Presence. This, he learned, made all the difference. Theological training wasn’t the key to experiencing God; focusing on God was the key to experiencing God.

When we fix our thoughts on Him, He keeps us in perfect peace—or perfect shalom, actually. Not only does He put our hearts at rest, He gives us that sense of wholeness and fullness we seek. Isaiah 26:3 delivers a powerful truth that can affect our satisfaction in life for the rest of our days: when we are able to focus on God in trust, He is able to grant us shalom. The satisfaction every human heart hungers for, so elusive and frustrating to so many throughout history, can be ours. We don’t get it by striving for it but by trusting in the One who offers it. All we are required to do is keep our thoughts on Him as He truly is.

This is why so many Christians who are born of God’s Spirit are still discontented and somewhat empty. They have God’s life in them but are too distracted from Him to benefit from His Presence. But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you keep your trust fully focused on Him, you will live in perfect shalom.

Father, help me keep my focus. Turn my eyes toward You. I want to experience Your perfect peace in all its fullness.