Seeking God in Your Everyday Life

October 14, 2022
Author: Hannah DeVivo

Peace be with you! Today, I would like you to consider your daily conversation with God.

“How Do You Start Your Day?”

I remember when my father asked me this a few months back. We were discussing my prayer life and the question caught me off-guard. He asked what was the very first thing I did every morning. The honest answer was to reach for my phone. When I get up, I have the habit of immediately checking my email, bank account, and social media platforms for anything new since the night before. I’ve done this with little to no thought for many years. My father challenged me instead to say “Good morning” to Jesus. I felt a bit overwhelmed, as I often do, when considering adding prayer into my daily routine.

It occurred to me during our conversation that I tend to think that all prayer needs to be lengthy, serious, and well thought-out. Many of my friends carry that same thought. How about you? Let me ask you, “How do you start your day?” Take a minute to think about it. There is no judgement or wrong answer. Allow yourself to be honest about how and why you begin your day the way you do.

Now, another question: “If you don’t already, would you consider adding a short sentence to God as soon as you open your eyes?”

When Do You Speak to God?

Speaking to God does not always have to be formal or drawn out. He is always there with you. A prayer to Him could be as simple as “Lord, I’m struggling”. The truth is, whether we acknowledge Him or not, we will all experience some daily adversities. Stubbing our toe, spilling hot coffee, or accidentally waking the baby mid-nap are all things that may happen. When they do, will we choose to suffer alone, or to invite God into the moment? Similarly, enjoying a tasty snack, getting a word of encouragement from a friend, or receiving a hug from a loved one are possibilities for our day as well. Will we rejoice alone, or instead share our happiness with our Heavenly Father who delights with us?

As you go about your day, you may have scheduled times of prayer. Perhaps these prayers are formal–such as the Mass, Adoration, the Divine Office, the Rosary, a novena, etc. These are such wonderful and beautiful ways to re-center yourselves, be with the Lord, and receive grace. That said, they don’t have to be the only times you spend with Him. Think about the various small lulls in your day. Could you add a few words to God while folding laundry, in between helping customers, driving to or from a meeting, or during a coffee break? Even a brief conversation with the Lord can bring peace, relief, or assuage the loneliness that can creep into your day.

Are There Parts of Your Day Where God Is Not Included?

Let’s be honest. We all have moments in our day we are not proud of. It’s normal to have times of anger, frustration, sadness, and other negative emotions. It is also typical to lash out because of them. There may be areas we are less than eager to share with God. Snapping at a cashier who won’t accept a coupon, yelling at your child for hitting their sibling for the third time, uttering some choice words under your breath after a car cuts in front of you, and other similar scenarios may be times we don’t acknowledge His presence.

Why are there parts of our day where we don’t include the Lord? There could be several answers to that, but I think a very likely one is that we are embarrassed. It’s hard to admit our faults to ourselves and others, let alone to the Almighty God we worship. That said, what if you were met with understanding and love rather than admonishment or contempt when you shared your weakness and faults with the Lord? What if letting God into the nitty gritty of our lives draws us closer to Him? What if He actually understands? You see, He created us. He knows us. He is aware of the sin and flaws of the world that prey upon our weaknesses. He sees us in our struggles and lowest points and loves us with the same love as when He sees us shine and thrive.

An Invitation To Let God In.

Dear reader, I hope that you have seen or are beginning to see that your life can only be enhanced by letting God in. He wants to comfort you when you’re exhausted from a sleepless night. He wants to listen when you complain about having to buy a brand-new tire. He wants to soothe you when you feel angered at the injustice you’ve received at the hand of another. God has grace overflowing to help you in your daily struggles against every temptation. Some day, God willing, you will look upon the beautiful and awesome face of God Himself! But you don’t have to wait until then to draw near Him. In fact, the closer you cling to Him, the more you can begin to understand His ways. Please do not allow any obstacle to stand in your way. God is ready and willing to move all mountains in your path; you need only ask.

On October 10, 1937, Jesus said to Saint Faustina, “My daughter, you have not offered Me that which is really yours.”

Sister Faustina wrote, “I probed deeply into myself and found that I love God with all the faculties of my soul and, unable to see what it was that I had not yet given to the Lord, I asked, ‘Jesus, tell me what it is, and I will give it to You at once with a generous heart.’ Jesus said to me with kindness, ‘Daughter, give Me your misery, because it is your exclusive property.’” – Saint Faustina’s Diary, #1318.

Thank you for being here today. You are in my prayers.

Before You Go

Do you feel comfortable speaking to God throughout the day?

Do you need prayers for any special intentions?

Did you learn anything new in this article?

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