Today’s devotion reminds us that presence is not something we force; it is something we learn to return to.
Prefer to listen? Hear today’s episode of Still, Here audio reflections podcast.
Scripture: Psalm 118:24
This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!
The Pressure I Feel
I can leave the present almost instantly and then judge myself for not staying focused, calm, or spiritually centered.
The Grace I Receive
Awareness is not failure. The moment I notice where I have gone, I am free to return to the present and to God’s presence in it.
Reflection
You can leave the present moment remarkably quickly.
Sometimes all it takes is a thought. A memory reminds you of something you wish you had done differently, and suddenly you are five years in the past. The conversation is happening again. The disappointment feels fresh. You begin wondering what might have happened if you had chosen differently.
Or a thought about tomorrow appears. What if the meeting goes badly? What if the test result is not good? What if the money is not enough? What if someone needs something from you that you do not know how to give? Your body is still sitting in the same chair, but your inner life has moved somewhere else.
Something outside you can do it too. A news alert. An email. Someone’s expression. A comment on social media. A person walking into the room. Your attention follows the trigger, and your internal state begins changing with it.
Trying to keep this from ever happening does not work very well. In fact, it can create another problem: guilt or self-consciousness about the fact that your mind wandered in the first place.
The spiritual practice is not perfect concentration
The practice is… noticing.
There is a moment when you realize, “I am not here anymore.” That realization is grace. You can name where you went: backward into regret, forward into worry, outward into something or someone demanding your attention. Then you can recognize something even more important: you do not have to stay there.
Sometimes that recognition is felt in the body before you have many words for it. A deeper breath comes. Your shoulders loosen. Something inside stops bracing. I think of it as a releasing breath. The breath is not a technique to perform. It is often a sign that your whole state has begun to change.
You have recovered agency. You can say, “I do not have to keep living there.” This is the day God has actually given you. And God is already here.
Formation Practice
Do not try to remain perfectly present today. Practice returning. When you notice your attention has traveled somewhere else, ask: Where did I go? Name it without judgment. Then release the need to stay there and return with the words: “I am here. God is here.” If a releasing breath comes, simply notice it. Then ask, “What is mine to do in this moment?”
Prayer of Formation
God,
I leave the present so easily. A thought pulls me backward, a worry carries me forward, or something around me captures my attention. Help me notice without judging myself. Remind me that I do not have to stay wherever my thoughts have carried me. Bring me back to You. Bring me back to here.
– Amen
Carry This Prayer
Breathe in: I am here…
Breathe out: …You are here with me
For Today
The goal is not to never leave the present.
The practice is learning how to return.
Which line from today’s devotion are you carrying with you? You are welcome to share it in the comments.