“God comes to you disguised as your life,” writes spiritual author Paula D’Arcy. This quote has been on our minds for quite some time, and its meaning recently struck a chord with us. As a chaplain and therapist, we often help people reflect on their lives and find meaning in their experiences. We spend a lot of time searching for God in the lives of others, and it brings us joy when they can recognize God’s presence in their own stories.
However, we realized that we don’t always take the time to acknowledge where God has been present in our own lives. In our busy and distracted world, we often overlook the moments of grace and mercy that surround us. God may be disguised in our lives, but we fail to see it because we’re not paying attention.
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It’s important for us to reconnect with ourselves and recognize how God is present in our lives. We want to share a practice with you that can help you identify those moments when God has shown up in disguise. Take a few minutes to try the following steps.
Find a comfortable position and close your eyes. Take deep breaths and focus on your inner spirit.
Allow your mind to wander to a memory and let it surface naturally. Pay attention to the details of that memory.
Ask yourself where God is in that memory. Have a conversation with God about how He was present in that moment.
When you feel ready, gently come back to the present moment and write down your experiences in a journal.
We hope you discover beautiful moments where God has appeared in disguise in your life.
James and Jerilyn Waddell are married with five children. James is a Hospice Chaplain with Partners in Home Care, and Jerilyn is a Youth Pastor and therapist at Zootown Church. They can be contacted via email at jjncwaddell@gmail.com
