“Am I awake now?”
To be mindful is to be present and attentive to the here and now. One of the gravest sins we commit is worrying about a future that has not happened, while simultaneously neglecting the actual present. There are things happening now that need to be addressed and taken care of. Most importantly, there are things now that need to be enjoyed. Allowing the mind to wander into the future destroys what it occurring right now. It is not good stewardship of your mind, emotions, heart, relationships, and other responsibilities to always focus on what’s next and meeting deadlines and accomplishing a checklist by 30. One of the most neglected ministries in the body of Christ is the “ministry of now.” We plan and prepare for things that have not happened—which is not unwise—but we take for granted what is in front of us. Opportunities to craft who we will become, opportunities to build, opportunities to learn, they all fall by the wayside because we embrace a hustler culture that is never satisfied and wants more. We take on things no one has asked us to take on, thinking it will add to our value and solidify our security, but we forget the most important aspect of life:
All you have is right now. Nothing else is promised.
The art of mindfulness is not to take a trip to the islands and detach; rather, it is about the practice of becoming aware and accepting of what is going on in your life in the moment. Mindfulness is about presence. How present are you with yourself and those you love? How attuned to the here-and-now are you? How emotionally available are you for yourself and those you love? Mindfulness requires attention to what is going on and honesty with ourselves that allows us to feel what we feel—without condemning ourselves.
To be mindful cultivates gratitude, compassion, and a trust in God that “this,”— whatever that “this” is for you—is not to your detriment, but it is for your benefit because all things work together for good for those who love the Lord (Romans 8:28). Mindfulness is what Jesus practiced in the Garden of Gethsemane when He was completely honest with Himself and the Father that He did not want to die, yet He accepted what was before Him and that what was to come was about more than what He was feeling. Life sometimes has us in places we did not think we would be in, places that are not where we want to be, but sometimes, these places are exactly where we need to be.
*Here are a few benefits of mindfulness:
- Effectively reduces rumination
- Reduces stress
- Increases the ability to focus and reduce distractions
- Lessens emotional reactivity
- Increase cognitive flexibility
- Enhances self-insight
- Increases compassion
- Decreases psychological distress
*published in Monitor on Psychology, 2012
Exercise: “Am I awake now?”
Did you know that worrying is a form of “mental sleep?” It hinders our sight of the present and we are oblivious to what is important. It obstructs and destroys what and where we are currently. Worry is a thief. It is a tactic of the enemy. One of the reasons Jesus teaches us not to worry is because worry in and of itself is a distraction—who can work well being distracted? There are two ways of incorporating mindfulness that I use throughout my day: informal and formal mindfulness. Feel free to try out one or both of these and see which works best for you.
Informal Mindfulness: This can be done at any point during the day. I do this by asking myself, “Am I awake now?” I ask this to myself to reflect on if I have been aware of any emotions, thoughts, sensations, and what is going on in other areas of my life. When doing this I also take note of what is going on around me (it helps to be observant); for example, I notice the smell of the room I am in, or if I am outside, I take note of the sounds I hear, if I can feel a breeze, or if there are people nearby.
Formal Mindfulness: This form of mindfulness is what we see most in Scripture, particularly with Jesus and how He deliberately withdrew to pray. Prayer and meditation are vital forms of mindfulness. Formal mindfulness is setting out intentional time to become aware—not detach—but to become more attuned with where you are and how you are feeling. I practice formal mindfulness at least once a day. (Admittedly I want to climb to three times a day.) As soon as I get to work, I close my classroom door, turn off my lights, and I sit in the dark with the Lord. I pray, meditate, and read Scripture. I do this for five to ten minutes every morning. A common misunderstanding about mediation is that you have to “concentrate” when in actuality, all you need to do is pay attention to your body. Focus on something you do naturally, such as breathing, and notice your breathing patterns. Breathing exercises are great examples of meditation.
Guided by Grace 