Meditation Monday – Rest in the Moment

When I was in Denver a couple of weeks ago, Jennifer Herrick gave me the photo above. It is made completely of the words rest in the moment. It has been a wonderful inspiration for me as I contemplated life and faith this week.

These last couple of months have been rough ones for me. Many of you know that several weeks ago the building on our property on Camano Island was vandalized, and in spite of the sense of God’s presence with us in the discernment process we are going through, I still struggle with questions of what if? when? and how?

As well as that I have faced some challenges in my personal life. I have developed arthritis in my foot which has made two of my greatest pleasures – walking and gardening – impossible. Whether it is for a season or forever I do not know.

What I am learning, in the midst of these challenges is to let go, rest and enjoy the gifts of each moment. Paul’s words in Philippians come to mind.

I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. (Phil 4:11-13 NLT)

To rest in the moment, find our contentment in God and fully savour the depth of revelation of God each moment holds, we must learn to let go and be content no matter what our circumstances. Sometimes it is a letting go of things that we love to do or people that we care about. Sometimes it is a letting go of hopes for the future. Sometimes it is just a letting go of busyness and fast paced lifestyles. Whatever it might be, we will never learn to rest fully in the presence of God unless we can relinquish our desire to be in control of our lives.

What is Your Response?

Sit quietly with your eyes closed and your hands clasped gently in your lap. Take some deep breaths in and out and relax yourself into the presence of God.  Read through Paul’s words several times or take time to contemplate the prayer and photo above.  Savour the wonder of God’s warm embrace. What distracts your attention from being fully attentive to God? What resentments and frustrations surface? Where have you tried to control your life and so clouded your enjoyment of God in this present moment? How is God asking you to respond?

As I think of what it means to rest in each moment, I am reminded of Ann Voskamp’s words in her important book One Thousand Gifts:

Life is too urgent to be lived fast, too important to be consumed in a blur of activity, too precious to not take notice of the God moments, the God love that bursts out in an unexpected hugs and unanticipated beauty.

We love to be able to move fast, map out our lives and feel we are in control.  Then we get sick, lose our job, our spouse dies. We lose control and in grasping to secure the reigns of our lives again we find we can never put them back together in the way they were before. We get angry, blame God, long for the things that are no longer possible, become resentful. In the process we often miss the God moments all around us.

What is your response? 

Listen to the song below. While you do so look around you. What sounds, sights, fragrances that you don’t usually notice catch your attention? What new aspects of God do they reveal to you? In what ways do they encourage you to rest more fully in each moment.