Day #3 - Entering into God’s Presence
The Presence - A Devotional for living in Thanksgiving, Worship and Wonder
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
Psalm 100:4 NIV
How do you get into the presence of God?
Are you tired of feeling distant from God?
Do feel like there is a lack of His presence in your life?
2020 was not good for our souls. The isolation and the shutdown of society was so challenging for my wife and I. We like to be around people. We like to worship with God’s people and see smiling faces. We liked to see our family. Fighting through discouragement in 2020 felt like a daily activity. I resolved early on that I would commit to thankfulness. I would battle back against depressive thoughts and hopelessness with the power of thanksgiving and praise.
Throughout the early season of the pandemic lockdowns I wrote in my journal things I was thankful for and made regular social media posts about what I was thanking God for. It was war for me. I had to get into God’s presence. His presence sustained me through some of the toughest moments I’ve had as a Christian and Pastor.
If there ever was such a thing as a short cut into “The Presence,” it’s this: thanksgiving. Thankfulness brings us into His Divine presence and praise brings us into his courts.
If you want to get into the place where God’s glory dwells, start thanking Him. Write your thanks, sing your thanks or shout your thanks. Get out of the natural and into the supernatural through being thankful. We can be thankful for our day, who God is, food, shelter, a job, our purpose and the list could go on. Daily there are so many things for which to thank and praise God.
It’s really simple. I’m not saying that this is a magic bullet or that everything in life gets easier immediately. But lifting thankfulness to God and praising Him no matter your circumstances will cause you to come before Him. He makes the difference and being before Him will either change your situation or will change you in your situation.
Even when you don’t feel like it, run through the gates of God’s house by entering into thanksgiving and praise. As I start to lift thanks to Him, I can feel hope breaking into my situation and I know I have gained an audience with the One who is the longing of my soul.
Father, thank you for another day to praise you and know you. Thank you for my family and my friends. Thank you for giving me purpose. Thank you for sustaining me through dark seasons and difficult days. Thank you for your presence. Thank you that you are always there for me. Thank you for prayer and the ability to draw near to you. I love you! In Christ’s name, Amen.
Inspiring. Thank you!
It all comes down to a choice and a mindset.
Good encouragement, John. Thanks for what you are doing there in the church building and here to a wider audience (some of whom are far way, like me!)