If you are anything like me, you desire to have each day begin with quietness, rest, solitude, and experiencing God and his goodness & love. In reality, especially in busy and chaotic Covid world (and having any young kids in the house), this dream is too seldom a reality.
I read something last week from The Passion Translation “Whisper” devotion (the weekly emails are really great and you can sign up here: https://www.thepassiontranslation.com/):
“Let my presence, not your breakthrough, be your ultimate goal, and your perspective will be changed. Come. Live above the chaos. See, from my vantage point, the beauty of your journey.”
If I’m honest, I want to have “breakthroughs” and think that if I’m not experiencing them based on my own measuring stick, then God is disappointed. But if I make His Presence the focus in as many moments as I can throughout the day, my perspective is shifted. As I just step into receiving His love and abundant grace, I start to see from His vantage point, and see people with his eyes. And that impacts how I live. It may not be a breakthrough, although it leads to living more in my identity, and hopefully as time goes on bearing more fruit by loving Him and other more authentically. It also allows a freedom to not have the guilt if my morning doesn’t always start out the perfect way with an amazing time of breakthrough.
Take 3 minutes right now to pursue his presence. Pause. Be quiet. Seek His face. Don’t talk, but listen, but don’t feel the need to hear anything. No agenda, no guilt if your mind wanders momentarily. Soak up His presence and breathe Him in. See how much love and grace is in His face as you turn toward Him. See him looking at you with gentleness, love and a big smile for who you are—after all, he created you!
It may not lead to breakthrough, but Jesus promises that those quiet moments with Him changes us, and in turn allows to live above the chaos that surrounds us and more into our truest self.
-Matt Tuttle