Leaning Into God when the World Feels Shaky

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Reflections

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Posted On June 28, 2025

When Your Soul Longs for More

Each morning, I rise early before the world stirs, before the demands of the day come knocking. I settle into the quiet, light a candle, and breathe inner peace.

In the stillness, my mind quiets. My heart opens. I feel God’s nearness like a soft, warm blanket wrapping me in love.

This morning, as I sat in silence, I imagined myself leaning against the chest of God the Father. His embrace was strong and tender.

I felt held—fully known, completely safe. I didn’t need words. I just rested in the Father’s love.

But then… the day called.

I had to leave the stillness and step into the noise—emails, phone calls, conversations, interruptions.

The moment I left my chair, I felt like I’d left God. I longed to return to that quiet place, to the closeness I felt moments before.

Why does God feel so near in the silence but so far in the swirl of life? I wondered. Why can’t I just stay there—with him, alone, in peace?

Then came a holy whisper—not loud, but unmistakably clear:

“I am here. Not only in the silence, but in the world around you. Lean into me, whenever you need.”

God’s whispers lingered. As I stepped into the flow of the day, I also heard the words of wise mentors who have shared their longings too.

They’ve known the longing to remain in stillness. They’ve helped name what I’m slowly discovering: the closeness we feel in silence isn’t meant to be a place of escape. It’s meant to become a way of being in the world; a way to carry the sacred into the ordinary.

Through quiet moments with God and guidance from men and women much wiser than me, I’m beginning to glimpse deeper truths.

Deeper Truths

Remembering

The longing to remain in the stillness, to dwell in Divine Presence, isn’t a weakness. It’s a fully human, holy ache. A sign we’ve experienced something real. Something eternal. It’s an invitation to remember we are already One with God. Always One. Now. Forever.

God-Sightings

God is found not only in quiet meditation corners. God is in the laundry room. The traffic. The conversations that drain us. The unexpected beauty. The uncomfortable moments. God’s already there, disguised in the ordinary.

Awakened Hearts

The contemplative life, our inner life, is about seeing the world with eyes open and hearts awake—even when the world is loud.

God Is Here. Everywhere

We don’t have to leave God behind when we stand up from our places of meditation. With practice—and the wisdom from those who’ve walked life’s road ahead of us—we can learn to lean, moment by moment, into that same Presence, wherever we are. God is here. Now.

Simple Practices to Stay Rooted in Divine Presence

Here are a few practices to help you carry inner stillness with you and stay connected to the Divine throughout your day.

Take the quiet with you

Begin by placing a hand on your chest above your heart and whispering,
Stay with me today. Help me see you in all things.

This small act of intention becomes a bridge between the silence and the swirl.

Let your breath become prayer

When scattered or anxious, return to your center through your breath.
Inhale: You are here.
Exhale: And so am I.

The breath becomes a doorway back to Presence.

Hear beauty speak

Pause when you notice something beautiful—a bird’s song, a child’s laughter, a shimmer of light—and receive it as a blessing. Lift it up with gratitude.

Let beauty become your sacrament, a reminder that God’s abundance is all around you. God is always here.

Hold a simple phrase in your heart to anchor you during the day

Another way to stay rooted in Divine Presence is to hold a simple phrase in your heart—something you can return to throughout the day. These quiet reminders become anchors for the soul, helping you re-center when life gets noisy or distracting.

Here are a few phrases you might carry with you as a prayer of the heart:

I lean into You.
You dwell within me.
Be here now, Beloved.

These gentle words re-center the soul when distraction pulls us away. Offer your day as an ongoing prayer.

Turn your everyday tasks into chats with God

Talk to God while you’re doing dishes or walking the dog—and stay open for a nudge, a deep breath, or a quiet shift inside. That’s how Spirit speaks.

Everyday tasks can become moments of communion when we bring God into them with simple presence and prayer:

Washing dishes—As I clean, let love flow through my hands.

Driving in traffic—You are with me. Help me be patient.

Answering emails—Let my words be clear and kind.

Waiting in line—Teach me to be present, not rushed.

Facing a hard conversation—Give me grace to listen and courage to speak with love.

Tucking someone in or saying goodbye—Let this be a moment of shared blessing.

These simple ways of talking with God—and listening to God—throughout the day quiet our minds and open our hearts.

They remind us we are human beings having a spiritual experience—that God walks with us, both in the stillness and in the swirl of daily life.

In every moment, we are held by God.

We need only pause throughout the day, lean into the Divine Embrace, and rest in Abiding Presence.

—brian j plachta
brianplachta.com

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Written by Brian J. Plachta

Following the Breadcrumbs God Leaves Along Our Path

What if God is speaking through ordinary moments more often than we realize?

A conversation that stays with us. A door that closes. A quiet nudge we can’t quite explain. An unexpected invitation that seems to come at just the right time.

The challenge is learning to notice these moments before we have any idea where they’re leading, and trusting the next step.

Over time, we may begin to see that God’s guidance doesn’t always come as an answer. Sometimes, it comes as a trail.

What to Do When God Seems Silent

Has silence ever made you feel like God is far away? When we feel this way, it’s easy to start looking for answers or waiting for a clear sign. But prayer can also be as simple as slowing down and noticing what’s already here. The breeze. The waves. Your breath. The quiet. God’s presence doesn’t always come through words. Sometimes we just need to be still enough to notice.

Let God Alone Define You

Ever have someone’s words get stuck in your head?
Maybe they criticized you, misunderstood you, or told a story about you that doesn’t feel true. And before long, you’re holding a courtroom in your mind—defending yourself, replaying the conversation, wondering if maybe they’re right.

There’s another way.

Bring it into the quiet with God.

Ask: Is there something here I need to learn? Is there something I need to own? And what was never mine to carry in the first place?

We can stay humble enough to receive the truth without letting someone else’s opinion become our identity.

Because in the end, God alone defines you.

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