The Presence of Jesus: 10 Ways to Connect With Him
The maples stood barren—as if they were waiting for a fresh breath from heaven. Gazing into their spindly arms, I realized my soul felt much the same. I wanted nothing more than a sense of the presence of Jesus.
“Lord, why do you seem so distant? Why don’t I sense your presence?” I prayed.
Today, I share the revelation I had as I prayed about encountering the presence of Jesus that day. Then, we’ll look at 10 practical ways to become more aware of his presence. Be sure to read to the end of today’s post for a free devotional eBook to help you connect with the Lord in fresh ways.
Let’s now return to my quiet moment of prayer.
The Presence of Jesus
As I sat in the silence, my mind returned to an evening years ago.
In a single instant, I learned more about God and love than I’d gleaned in a whole lifetime.
After nine long months of suffering through a debilitating diagnosis of hyperemesis gravidarum, our daughter Bekah was born.
Nothing about the day went as expected. I didn’t expect my water to break five days before my due date. I didn’t expect my body not to go into labor on its own, warranting an induction. The emergency surgery wasn’t on my radar.
And when they brought her to me, wrapped her in her striped hospital blanket, I didn’t expect the visceral flow of love to pour from me as it did.
I didn’t know I was capable of that kind of love or that such love even existed. 
When You’re Having Trouble Sensing the Presence of Jesus
I cried often throughout our first few weeks together. The tears flowed because I couldn’t believe the love God placed in my heart for her. My desires to protect, nurture, and care for her were stronger than anything I’d experienced.
During those early weeks of Bekah’s life, the power of the cross captivated me in a new way. There was absolutely no way I’d send my daughter to die in anyone’s place.
God’s willingness to send his Child to die for me completely transformed my perception of his love.
Throughout my life, I’ve battled with the feeling of not being good enough. I’ve faced lies that tell me rejection from other people means I’m less than. I know all about the ongoing feeling that I don’t measure up.
Most of us face these thoughts at some time in our lives.
For nearly a decade, I listened to Christian leaders who talked about finding our identities in Christ. They said, “You are a beloved child of the Most High God. You are precious and dearly loved.”
The women around me cried and rejoiced at their newfound identities. Meanwhile, the words kept getting lost between my mind and my heart.
A Fresh Encounter With God
Things changed when I held my own child.
I experienced love I’d never known.
I realized God loves Jesus far more perfectly than I can love my child, and yet he sent him to suffer and die so I wouldn’t have to receive his punishment for my sins.
The heart of my identity is this: God loves me so much that he sent Jesus to die for me (Romans 5:8).
Dear friend, if you feel frustrated because you’ve been having trouble feeling the presence of Jesus, I understand. I want to feel his loving presence, too. We were designed to walk closely with him, and we all crave his presence.
However, we also face times when we will not feel his presence.
When these times come, we don’t need to take offense or become frustrated. Instead, we can remember this: He is always present with us. He promised this in Scripture, and he keeps his promises (Hebrews 13:5; Deut. 31:6). Furthermore, his love was demonstrated at the cross, once and for all.
To encounter the presence of Jesus, remember the cross.
Are you longing for a fresh encounter with the presence of Jesus?
You might feel tempted to pursue an emotional experience. We can encounter the Lord through experience, but he also wants us to learn to encounter him simply by standing on an unchanging truth. God demonstrated his love once and for all when Jesus died on the cross for us.
When I long for an encounter with God's love, I simply need to step back and consider the cross. #encounteringGodintheordinary #encounteringGodslove Share on XGod loves us so deeply that he sent his Son to a place of agony for us. Encountering this truth is the quintessential encounter with the presence of Jesus.
Practical Ways to Experience the Presence of Jesus
Are you looking for concrete steps to make this more practical?
Here are 10 ways to become more aware of the presence of Jesus.
1. Experience the presence of Jesus by seeking him first every day.
Looking toward Jesus before climbing from bed every morning also helps me stay connected with him throughout the day. For several years, I repeated Psalm 118:24 every morning immediately after waking up: “This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it.”
I don’t always repeat this verse, but I try to begin my days by greeting God, thanking him for his goodness, or taking a moment to surrender the upcoming day to him.
(Read here for more thoughts on speaking God’s Word first thing every morning.)
2. Renew your mind with God’s Word.
As I’ve shared in the past, our family memorizes one verse together every week (or two, or three, or four weeks!). We write it on a piece of paper and hang it on the fridge. Every morning, we practice reading and speaking the verse together. This practice renews our minds and shapes our hearts.
Often, I overhear the kids speaking our verses when they face challenging or upsetting circumstances.
God’s Word renews our minds.
Hiding it in my heart helps me keep my thoughts focused on him, provides comfort in difficult moments, and serves as an offensive weapon when the enemy attacks my mind.
3. Regularly ask God to search your heart and show you if you have unconfessed sin your life.
If he reveals something to you, confess your sin to him, repent (ask God to help you turn away from your sin and turn toward him), and receive his forgiveness.
4. Experience the presence of Jesus by serving others.
We can also encounter the presence of Jesus by asking him to show us the needs surrounding us and stepping up to meet those needs.
Stop to chat with a lonely neighbor, write a note to your child’s teacher, or leave a gift in the mailbox for the mail carrier. Cook your husband’s favorite meal. Pick up trash on the side of the road.
As we serve others, God fills our hearts with his love and joy.
5. Soak in the presence of Jesus by ending the day with him.
Before falling asleep at night, I often review the day with Jesus. I sort through what went well and what didn’t. I celebrate the victories and grieve the losses.
Most of the time, I fall asleep during this process. I used to feel frustrated about falling asleep while trying to pray; however, a few years ago, an older, wiser friend asked, “Do you get angry when your kids fall asleep in your arms, or does it feel like a gift?”
6. Experience the presence of Jesus as you enter into God’s Word.
In addition to memorizing Scripture, I’ve learned to read slowly and create space to enter into God’s Word.
I often imagine myself immersed in the scenes described in the Bible. Imagining I’m the blind beggar along the road, an onlooker watching Jesus perform a miracle, or a disciple watching Jesus teach helps me to connect with Jesus in a fresh way every time I read in this way.
7. Seek Jesus’ presence in nature.
Since childhood, I’ve connected with God most easily and naturally in his created world.
God’s created world reveals his glory and magnifies the work of his hands.
Watch the sunset. Take a slow walk through the woods. Hang a bird feeder outside the window. Visit a local park.
Use this time to slow down, sort through your thoughts, and talk to the Lord.
8. Sort through your feelings with him.
In her book, I Shouldn’t Feel This Way, Dr. Allison Cook offers a basic framework for bringing our overwhelming emotions to God: First, we ask God to help us specifically identify and name our difficult emotions; second, we frame our emotions by considering how long we’ve been struggling, why we’re struggling, and what we want to be different; third, we brave new paths by taking God-directed action according to our realizations.
Facing difficult emotions is never easy, but learning to work through them with God and others is essential for growth. I’ve learned that God wants to help me name my feelings, sort through them with compassion and curiosity, and follow him into action or resolution.
He is waiting to connect with you, too.
9. Seek the presence of Jesus by spending set-apart time with him.
Here are some of my favorite ways to draw near to Jesus:
Go to your bedroom, close the door, light a candle, and talk to him as you would talk to a friend.
Listen to worship music and imagine him holding you.
Meet with a close friend to pray together.
Open your Bible to the book of Psalms and read slowly, soaking in the words.
Take a slow walk in nature and talk to him.
10. Experience the presence of Jesus by authentically connecting with other people.
Last year, a friend suggested a book called How People Grow by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend (Thank you, friend!). A foundational premise of this book is that we heal and grow through relationships with others.
Seeking God individually is important, but living openly and sharing our hearts with others is essential for growth.
I tend to lean toward independence and introversion, which makes the following reminder from this book especially important for me to remember:
“Many people, however, find themselves cut off from the church and the healing and protective functions it provides. In their isolation—or at least the isolated growth plan they are using—they are easy prey for the gates of hell to overpower them. This is analogous to Jesus’ story about the shepherd and his sheep (Luke 15:3-7). Wolves do not attack an entire herd. They attack the one lamb that has wandered off the path. This is the one who is in danger. As Jesus said, he would leave the ninety-nine to fetch and return the wandering one.”
Throughout the past months, God has healed some deep wounds in my heart, and this has happened exclusively because of the love and care of other people.
As I reflect on this, I’m amazed that God has used the care of others to heal, in a very short period of time, wounds that have existed in the darkness of obscurity for decades. There is power in finding this kind of support.
~~~
Do you long for a fresh encounter with the Lord?
You don’t need a goosebumps experience to encounter him.
Simply remember the cross.
God loves you so much that he allowed his Son to be punished for your sins. He offers you the gift of eternal life with him. This is love.
I now invite you to explore our devotional books and library of free eBooks and devotionals below. Be blessed as you pursue the presence of Jesus!
Calling All Parents and Grandparents!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 15, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or older relatives to read with the children and teens they love. You can find all three books here or read more below.
Attention All Boy Moms (and Dads)!
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength helps young boys, ages 5-13, learn what it means to trust God and become strong warriors for his kingdom. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to boldly carry God’s love into the world. I wrote this boys’ devotional book with our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven! You’ll enjoy their honesty as we teach boys how to be strong warriors for the Lord. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Mother-Daughter Devotionals by a Mom and Daughter
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
Find Our Family Devotionals Here
Find all three books right here. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
A Free Devotional to Help You Connect With God
God is a good Father, and he wants us to experience his healing, deliverance, and replenishment. Most of us have learned that we cannot heal, deliver, or refresh ourselves; we need God to do this work within us. I invite you to create space for God to transform your life by downloading a free copy of my devotional eBook, The Lean Into Grace Devotional: An 8-Day Devotional for Healing, Deliverance, and Replenishment. Find it for free here. I also offer a library of free online devotional eBooks for free. I invite you to explore the collection right here! 
