becoming aware of Him

Today in The Daily Reader for Contemplative Living, Thomas Keating tells us about learning to sense God in our lives.

He says that when we sit quietly, and let our thoughts pass by us like boats in a river, we start to sense His presence all around us, like the river itself. Waiting on God, for some reason, is something that pleases Him. And when we do wait on Him, we have all kinds of promises in the Bible about good things that will happen in our lives. Like mounting up with wings, like eagles. Running and not growing weary. Stuff like that.

But waiting can be hard, can't it? Some of us have been waiting for things all of our lives. People wait for marriage... they wait for children... they wait for a good job... and it's easy to get tired of waiting. But waiting teaches us so much, too. Besides the obvious: patience.... it also teaches us kindness, and gentleness, and self-control. When we wait for something really important to us, it teaches us to reach out and love others who are waiting for their important things.

Waiting on God doesn't just mean assuming that good things will come, though. Prayer isn't wishful thinking. Prayer is involving the most powerful being in the universe in your life. It is bringing God into your equation. And believe me, when you do - your equation will never be the same again.

God, thank You for being all around us, teaching us to wait for Your perfect timing.