He's Right Beside You 

By Susie Peters:

It’s easy to be distracted isn’t it? There’s always something vying for our attention: chores to do, people to see, phones to check. But beyond that, the thing I find the most distracting is my own mind. Why can I not quieten my thoughts and be still for a moment? There always seems to be a myriad of different things racing around my head, trying to stop me from the thing I am wanting to do.

It is often this way when I come to God in prayer. That is when the noise increases, and it takes absolute resolve to still myself and come before my Heavenly Father and hear from him. The wonderful thing is that as soon as we do turn our attention to Jesus, he is closer than we can imagine: "Draw close to God and He will draw close to you", James writes in chapter 4:8. God, who can seem so distant in the noise of life, is right there waiting patiently, ready to draw close to us.

It is a miracle that the God of the heavens promises to do that – to draw close to us. And this closeness isn’t a spatial thing. We all know what it’s like to be sitting right next to someone but feel very distant from them. No, the closeness God promises is an intimacy that brings absolute peace, as he knows us and understands us completely. He tells us not to be afraid because "He knows how many hairs you have on your head" (Luke 12:7). Wow!

He knows us so intricately and when we call him our Father, we long to know him this intimately too. Intimacy is a term we reserve for very few relationships: spouses and perhaps a few special friends. That is because it requires trust, vulnerability and honesty – things that aren’t always easy to achieve in a relationship. But when we do reach a level of understanding and trust - joy and peace follow. And we are free to be ourselves, even in our weaknesses. So it is with God. As the Psalmist writes, "for me it is good to be near God" (Psalm 73:28). He knew that pursuing closeness with God was truly good and lifegiving. Even though his "flesh and heart may fail, God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever" (Psalm 73:26). God knows how easily we are distracted, he knows our weaknesses, yet as soon as we turn to him, he strengthens us by his Holy Spirit and speaks to us, helping us to know him more and more each day.

There was a time in life when I was so busy with work that I barely stopped to hear God gently telling me he was right beside me. I remember sitting on my bed exhausted, coming to him in prayer, when I clearly heard his voice saying "slow down and look up". It struck me that I wasn’t even present enough to look up out of my situation and listen to His voice. To see past my tiredness, to wade my way out of my busyness and just sit with him. But when I did, things fell into perspective. His gentleness and kindness softened me and helped me hear him again.

What helped me slow down and turn to God was taking a single verse from the Bible and meditating on a word at a time. I think God knew that even a longer passage would be too much for me! So I stripped it right back - "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10) is a good verse to start with... "Be still" for starters is no small thing! Just thinking about this phrase opened up a space for God to calm me with his Spirit and bring me to a place where He could speak directly to the deepest part of me.

So try it for yourself: pick a verse and spend a week meditating on a few words a day. And as God promises, when we draw close to him, we realise God is right there, beside us.