Happy New Year Friends! I’ve been thinking about the importance of just being present with God lately…

It has been a tradition in my family to pick a word for the upcoming year. This year my word is Presence. And I would love to share my reflections on this word. I will jump right in and start with a few thoughtful questions. These are questions I’ve been asking myself, and I hope you would also join in by thinking of your responses as well.

Let’s Stop Striving This Year

What if 2023 was not a year to try another New Year resolution?

What would happen if in 2023 you stopped trying to become a better version of yourself?

Maybe 2023 isn’t the year to try harder or stop doing something. What if in 2023 you set aside a year to do something different? Maybe 2023 could be a year to contemplate and reflect on what has already been done for you.

What If We Focused On What Has Been Done For Us?

So what has been done for you? What would your life look like if you believed and lived like you were fully known and fully loved by God? (See Psalm 139:1-4, Romans 5:8, John 3:16).

Take forgiveness as an example. How might you be able to more easily forgive if you believed the depths to which you have already been forgiven for past, present, and future sin? (“it is finished” John 19:30)

Or consider peacefulness. What would your life look like if you lived like you had access to true peace and could have peace no matter what 2023 brings? (John 14:27) Truthfully, I could go on and on with the Biblical buzz words (Joy, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control, gentleness, righteousness, holiness, etc.) but my hope is that you would really sit with these questions for a bit.

What if you believed and lived like God, the creator of you and the entire universe, was with you? God with you, ever-present and attentive to you in the day-to-day things of life. What would change if you acknowledged God’s love, His leading, guidance, and truths moment by moment, day by day?  If you approached 2023 as a student, with a learning heart, to recognize, identify, and reflect on what God has already accomplished for you? What would you do to begin to believe it and live it out? What changes would take place in your life? This isn’t about exercising more, drinking less caffeine, or being more kind. It’s about belonging, trusting, following, and learning.

What If We Focused On Being Present With God This Year?

Let’s make 2023 the year to be present and approach life as a learner. An amazing book I have been reading lately is Breathing Under Water Spirituality and the Twelve Steps by Richard Rohr.  He says “we got so preoccupied with needing to prove and worship Jesus’ divinity that we failed to let him also be a sage, a wise man, a teacher of commonsense spiritual wisdom” (Rohr, 76).

Most of the time we feel like we have most things figured out. My little girls love the movie Sea Beast on Netflix and there are some pretty great and wise sayings in the film. At one point a little girl talks to her older friend and says “the world is wide and you don’t know everything!”. I think that mantra is a great way to approach life and our relationship with God and others. It calls us to be willing to not always be in the know or always to be right. It calls us to be willing to learn and be present.

What If We Were Being Present With God Like Jesus Was?

When we don’t approach life with this mindset, we can forget that one of the first commands Jesus gives is to follow him, to be his disciples, and His students. Jesus calls us to learn from him, all day, every day. Not a bad person to follow considering He walked out His life in perfect relationship with his Father! Really, there is no one better to learn from! We need to learn and maybe relearn some of the lessons from His experiences.

I am challenged to reflect on my own circumstances and consider how Christ would have lived them out. One of the things Jesus did often was… drum roll please…spend time with God. The Bible doesn’t hide how Christ spent time with God. We see that He made space, sometimes going off alone, sometimes finding just enough time to sit and be with His Father. Christ lived His life with people constantly following him, constantly wanting their own desires met by Him. Yet, He still made it a critical part of His life to be in the presence of his Father.

Mary Knew How To Stop And Be Present With Jesus

Another person we see an example of doing this is Mary with Jesus in Luke 10:38-42. What if in 2023 we choose to be more like Mary, choosing to slow down and simply sit at the feet of Jesus to be with Him? Instead of like her sister Martha, who was doing necessary work but missed what was most important!

Let’s play this scene in our heads. Scripture doesn’t show Mary furiously taking notes, creating bullet points, and thinking of buzz words that would challenge her to a better life. Rather it’s more relational, cozy, warm, and comforting. We have a lifetime of following Christ and an eternity of being with Him awaiting us. Maybe we should slow down, and let His calming presence bring us some peace in the same way Mary chooses to sit at His feet.

She isn’t worried about dishes, cleaning, or to-do lists. She’s just being still, admiring, loving, and cherishing those moments she has with Christ. I’m challenging myself and you to approach our time with Jesus in a more relational, slower kingdom-paced, peace-filled, loving, comforting manner. I’m challenging us to choose to be present with the God of the universe. He is here. He is inviting us to join Him. Let’s choose to spend time with God, not to check off our good “Christian supposed-to-do checklist”, but rather let’s set our mindset for our time with God as intentional moments of simply recognizing God is with you. I want to encounter God’s presence and voice, and I want to approach these encounters as a young follower, a new student, an admirer, and someone like Mary.

Practical Ways To Be Present With God

I’ve thought about this for some time and here are just a few ways to practically be present with God in our day-to-day lives.

First, Pause To Make Room To Be Present With God

Take moments to just simply say, “Here I am Lord, I am listening” and do just that, listen. Or think about how God is present with you, God is already there so invite yourself to be aware of God’s presence. Or take a moment of gratitude and give God some thanks for whatever you are doing! For example, “Hey God. I am doing the dishes thanks for being with me. I’m excited for the time I have with my friends, help me love them like you love them while I have this time with them.“

Next, Use Visualization To Be Present With Jesus

Do something I call “Invite Jesus into your favorite place”. You close your eyes and imagine a place you love the most. This place for me has changed over the years, but it is usually me laying in the soft grass in a field. When you can picture yourself in that place, you invite Jesus to join you there. Maybe you see someone approaching you there, maybe you have a conversation with Jesus. Whatever it is, the focus is the intentional act of closing your eyes, going to your favorite place, and opening a space for Jesus to join you there.

Whatever you would want to say, need to say, feel like saying; just let it all flow out.  Talk to Jesus. Some days it may feel like you are just processing the day. Sometimes it may all be filled with prayers and requests. Sometimes it is all complaining, venting, and crying. Whatever it is God is big enough to hear you, to know your needs, and to sit in that space with you.

Then, Listen As You’re Present With Jesus

Take time to ask Jesus if there is anything He would like to say to you. Then, listen. Just listen. Sometimes you may feel a word or phrase or even feel like Jesus really is talking to you! Maybe a Scripture pops into your mind. It can look different every time. Jesus knows you and meets you in ways He may or may not in other people. Following Jesus is relational!

The rest is up to you, if you feel you want to say more, say more! If you want to listen more, listen more. But when you feel like you are done, thank Jesus for being with you! Ask Jesus to help you live your daily life more like this space, being aware of His presence and giving space for Him to speak to you through the Holy Spirit.

Breath Prayers To Help You Be Present With Jesus

Breath prayers are exactly what it sounds like, you breathe and pray! The best part is, you don’t have to even think up the prayers because you can use Scripture. Any Scripture! The shorter the better if you’re just getting started. Let’s use Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God” as the example:

Breathe in, “Be still and know”

Breathe out, “that I am God”

Really take a moment to breathe and meditate on what that means, or better yet, ask God what it is that He is teaching you!

How I’ve Used Breath Prayers To Be Present With God

I’ll share my experience from the last time I did this specific verse. I was feeling overwhelmed by all the things of life and just stopped mid-freak out and began to breathe. I breathed in “Be still and know” and breathed out “that I am God”. At first, it was just the simplicity of taking a moment to breathe that allowed my emotions to begin to calm down. My physical body appreciated the breath and my brain was then allowed to kick in and participate. Just by breathing, I was creating space to quiet and calm down. Breath is the thing God used to create the universe and form man from dust. I began to thank God that I was able to simply breathe.

My thought process went like this: Breathe in, “Be still and know,” breathe out, “and know I am God”…Ooooo you are God which means I am not. You, God, can do all things, I cannot. God, I give you my overwhelmed feelings. I give you my never-ending to-do list. I give you my kids and my failures in parenting. You are God, I am not. I need you and you are with me so I can be still in the midst. You are God! Thanks for being with me!  Breathe in, “Be still and know,” breathe out, “that I am God.”

I hope you give this a try the next time you are feeling a little overwhelmed. Or simply try it as you are settling down for the day!

Finally, Be Present With God Through His Word

If you are someone who loves getting into scripture, then read and ask God, what are you teaching me today? What can I learn? How can this lesson help me live and love more like you?  Again, don’t make this a forced rhythm of I have to read my Bible every day and beat yourself up when it doesn’t happen. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, to be with you in everything you do. Allow your reading to be a conversation with God. Ask God questions, create space to hear words that jump out at you in your reading, and approach with a student’s heart learning from a God who loves you. One of my favorite ways to listen and learn while reading the Bible is Lectio Divina. Give it a try!

SIE also has some great resources and articles for studying the Bible. Check them out here:

• 6 Ways To Dive Deeper In Your Bible Study
• 3 Simple Bible Study Outlines That Anyone Can Do
• How To Read Through The Entire Bible (Even As A Busy Mom)
• How To Start A Women’s Bible Study

Be Ready To Listen And Learn As You’re Present With God

No matter how you choose to be more present with God, approach it with a learning heart. Hear God tell you the truths of what He has already done for you. The truths about who God is and who God says you are. Sometimes, really most times, God likes to ask me questions (Jesus does this often in Scriptures). Lately, His favorite question to me when I come to Him in an emotional mess is, “Tabitha, what is true?” and just the question moves me out of my feelings as I begin to speak God’s truths into my life and situation.

Let’s Focus On What Matters This Year

I encourage you to end this read by going back to the beginning. Read the questions I encouraged us to ask ourselves once more. Then, together, let’s fight the “ok I can do better this year” approach and simplify it by saying, God teach me what you have already done for me. Help me be more present with you. God, teach me to know how to better love myself and in return better love others. Help me live and love more like you. Let’s make 2023 a year where we all choose to do life with God and through Him.

I hope you all know that God loves you dearly, and so do I.

About The Author

Tabitha Jordan has been married to Charles Jordan for eight wonderful years, currently a full-time mom of two fierce and fun daughters who are 1 and 3. Graduated from Malone University with a degree in Youth and Sports Ministry. Graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary with her Master of Divinity. Ordained and served in the United Methodist Church. Tabitha currently lives in Indiana and is working on her first children’s book to teach children the basics of the Christian faith.