Prayer is nothing else than a sense of God’s presence—Brother
Lawrence
Pray without ceasing—1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NIV)
In the midst of crisis or change, Christ is with me. In the
midst of the storm, He is my safe harbor. He keeps me from the breakers that
would crush me. But He is more than just my refuge. He is my strength to not
only endure, but to overcome. I can never fear change when He never changes. He
is the one great constant in my life—the same yesterday, today, and forever. As
I give Him my fearful heart, His peace calms my distracted mind. Abiding in
Him, He claims my thoughts and I discover that I, too, can be strong. I can be
steadfast and unchanging. I can know His peace that carries me through the
hardships of life.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in my life must be practiced. I need
to seek Him daily in prayer until His presence becomes like a good habit. He
becomes unconsciously rendered. I unconsciously learn to “pray without ceasing”.
He is just “there” at the moment I need Him. He is just “there” in moments of
sudden fear when, without Him, my world would crumble. But practicing His
presence has brought His immediate peace in that moment. My heart has prayed
unconsciously, and He has heard its cry.
“The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness,” Paul writes. “For
example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays
for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words” (Romans 8:26, NLT). I
don’t know always know how to give Him my suffering and fear, but the Holy
Spirit intercedes for me. He prays my heart’s cry when I am unable to mentally
render a thought. It is in a moment like this that I understand His peace. I
have practiced His presence until He is always with me—unconsciously and
consciously. I may go through my busy day with no problem, and my conscious
mind is busy with my schedule and my list. Suddenly I hear something that
shatters my world, and the Holy Spirit immediately arises from within to calm
my mind and heart. Practicing His presence has brought His peace.
Do you have that sense of God's presence? He is right there with
you speaking peace in the midst of your storm, but you may not realize it. If
you will pray and practice His presence each day, He will go with you
consciously and unconsciously through the days of your life rendering peace for
the hardships, and joy for the times you need encouragement. “Do not be anxious
about anything,” Paul imparts, “but in every situation, by prayer and petition,
with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which
transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ
Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV). You are never alone. Pray. Practice His
presence, and you will realize His peace.
© 2018
Lynn Lacher
www.lynnlacher.com/2018/06/practice-his-presence.html
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