Where is God in your life? Do you ever feel like He’s distant or absent?
In reality, He’s always with us, even within us. But can we truly be aware of His presence?
For those who trust Him, His presence is palpable. We encounter Him in Scripture and in our day-to-day lives.
When we put our faith in Jesus, He sends the Holy Spirit to dwell within us (John 14:16-17). However, amidst life’s challenges, recognizing His presence can be difficult.
Consider Psalm 23:1-4, where God’s comforting presence is evident even in the darkest valleys.
Psalm 23: 1-4
23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures: He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul: He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
4 Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Throughout Scripture, He reassures us of His constant companionship in various contexts.
It’s His desire for us to live with an awareness of His presence.
But how do we recognize it?
1. He is Always in Our Thoughts, Consciously and Unconsciously
God’s presence permeates our conscious and subconscious minds, like a holy silence within us. Despite often being unaware, He is always with us.
2. We Are Always Seeking His Guidance
Many make decisions oblivious to God’s presence in their lives. However, acknowledging His interest in all aspects empowers us to align our decisions with His will.
The truth is He is interested in all areas of our lives, and if He is, then we should also be aware of His preference in our decisions.
3. He is Our Constant Companion
If we see Him as our constant companion, then we are always aware of Him, and there is oneness between us. He is a loving, powerful God who knows all. He is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent.
Your awareness of Him doesn’t determine where He is. The Bible says He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and this is evidence that we have peace in the midst of storms in our lives.
We’re in this with God. Jesus is with us. The Holy Spirit of God will guide us through life, help us, comfort us, and assure us of whatever needs to be done. And you know, once you begin to sense God’s awareness, everything in life changes. Things can be difficult and blinding, but if you look at that circumstance in the awareness that the Lord is with you, you will not struggle.
His power is already working to enable us to face our challenges, whatever they might be. So, the awareness of His presence is a very practical issue.
4. The Awareness of His Presence Creates a Hunger in our Hearts for the Word of God
We should begin the day with God’s word because it ignites our thoughts about Him and encourages our awareness of His presence. Remember what He said to Joshua: Be strong and of good courage. Fear not, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you.
When you begin to read the Word of God, what does He do? He speaks! He has something to say, and He wants you to hear it. He wants to remind you of His promises, His strength, and His faithfulness.
5. Prayer Becomes a Priority in Our Life
If we become aware of His presence, prayer becomes a necessity. We won’t just pray when we are in trouble; we will talk to Him all the time. And through prayer, God speaks to us and guides us. He is not only our hope; He’s our power, our strength. He’s our helper. He’s our guide. He’s our sustenance. He’s our everything. But when people are aware and live in the awareness of His presence, when things come along that seem hopeless, they’re not.
When we become really aware of Him, we will sift every decision through His will. Lord, what is Your will about this? What is Your will about that?
This is how God wants us to live. He wants us to worship Him and be aware of His presence. This will help us walk in obedience to God as a way of life.
If I’m going to walk in obedience to God as a way of life, which we all should do, I have to be aware of His presence.
Father, we’re grateful to You for Your goodness to us.
We know that there’s so much to learn. And yet, it really comes down to our relationship with You. And I pray the Spirit of God will seal this message in the heart of every believer.
Help us and guide us always to seek you and walk in your will.
Holy Spirit, thank you because you will always remind us of God’s presence in our lives.
Amen
Susan is a mother of four beautiful babies and a born-again Christian. She took over Hope No Matter What in 2024 and enjoys sharing her knowledge of the goodness and faithfulness of God. Her passion is to bring hope and encouragement to others, and she prays that by sharing her knowledge and personal story, she can inspire others to find enlightenment in God's word.