Three Keys

Romans 12:² “Don’t be so conformed to culture that you fit into it without thinking. Instead, let God transform you by changing the way you think.” (MSG/NLT)

Today, we will delve deeper into the three keys to increase our presence. The first key is, Evaluate The Why Of Your Distractions. Why are you distracted and why do you struggle to be present? What is your why? Psalm 46:^10a “Be still, and know that I am God!” Are you struggling to be still? Why? God says, be still because you cannot be more present than you are within. In other words, the state of your outside reflects what is happening and I need to evaluate the why of my distraction. Have you placed work ahead of your relationship with God? Why are you distracted? When you have evaluated the why of your distraction, the next thing, is to Identify Your Relational Values. What is important to you?

What kind of parent do you want to be? When it is all said and done, when you exit as everyone will someday exit, what kind of parent do you want your children to say that you were? Dad had a lot of money, had a lot of cars, and that is it? Would that be all your that your children would be able to say about you? The question is what are your relational values? What kind of friend do you want to be? When you are gone, what kind of friend will your friends say that you were? What kind of spouse do you want to be? When you are no more on this side of eternity, what would you want your spouse to say? What kind of spouse do you want to be? What kind of co-worker do you want to be? When you are not in the office, what kind of person do they say you are? What kind of Christian do you want to be? What is God saying? That is what matters most.

After you evaluate the why of your distraction and identify your relational values, the next thing, the third key is Shut Down Occasionally To Eliminate The Distractions And Align With Your Values. It is okay to shut down. It is okay to put off your phone. I have a daily, weekly, and annual shutdown system. I deflect daily, I withdraw weekly, I abandon annually. Every year I abandon, I leave everything to Jesus, I just walk away and go and rest. Psalm 46:^10a “Be still, and know that I am God.” It is in that place of stillness that you see the presence and the power of God. How do you get sucked into God’s presence? It is when you worship, when you pray, it is the time when you are quiet, still before Him. Some people get uncomfortable just being quiet. Be quiet until He envelopes you, then you know that you are there.

I remember some time ago; I was on my way to work when I realized that I did not have my phone and I panicked. Has this happened to you? that day, I knew that I had to deal with it, and I did. The word for it is “NOMOPHOBIA” meaning NO MObile PHone PhoBIA, the fear of no mobile phone is a mental health issue. Wow! Shut down, eliminate the distraction, and align.

Prayer: Father, help me to eliminate distractions and be still in Your presence, in Jesus Name. Amen!