How to Encounter God in the Present Moment

Our culture is finally talking about technology and what it is doing to our world. If mainstream culture is asking these questions how much more should we as Catholics be considering what it is doing to our souls. It’s no secret that we’re being overtaken by technology. As Christians we are called to live in the present moment because it is the only place where we can truly encounter God. Of course, our memory is important, and we should remember the ways God worked in the past. Regardless, the here and now is where we can encounter the living God. He is currently giving us the grace to live in this moment and loving us at every second. We should be ashamed of missing that for something lesser.

I recently left the convent after spending 14 months there and I was dreading the moment that a smartphone was placed into my hands again. You might ask why I got one if I was so against the smartphone and even saw it as a risk. The truth is that it is very difficult to live in the world today without a smartphone because of the many conveniences and advances the world has made. Honestly, I would also be completely lost most of the time without the maps feature on my phone. Why was I dreading going back to this energy sucking device even though I deeply missed connecting with friends and family?

While I was in the convent, not having a smartphone allowed me to have the most intimate encounters with the Lord both during my times of prayer and throughout the day. Without the noise of music and YouTube my head was clear to hear the voice of God. Protected from all of the news articles and podcasts at my fingertips the sounds resounding in my head were Marian hymns and Psalms from Liturgy of the Hours. The glow of my iPhone wasn’t the last thing my eyes saw before I drifted off to sleep, but instead the glow of the sanctuary lamp by the Tabernacle which housed our Lord.

If I am with a group of friends talking about a song, one of us quickly heads to YouTube to play the song. After we listen it’s like the conversation is dead because we have pulled ourselves out of the human connection just to look up the song and listen to it. Listening to the song in that moment really wasn’t that important and there is also the risk of seeing a text message or an email and completely distracting ourselves from the person in front of us.

Honestly, I believe that the solution includes relatively drastic measures and deep self-reflection. If you are a parent, consider the moments you have missed opportunities to delight in your children. Similarly, just as a disciple of Christ, think of the moments where you have felt the Holy Spirit prompting you to pray. How many of those moments have you missed? I think it is finally time to actually consider what these smartphones are doing to us instead of pushing it aside with the assumption that this is just where the world is at right now. You can start by simply turning your phone off for 24 hours and seeing what happens. There will be moments where your instinct is to check your phone or scroll the news but instead lift up your heart to God because He is waiting for you.

Yes, phones allow us to communicate with people who aren’t near us and there is a great gift in that. During my time in the convent, I would have loved to have that ability to talk to my friends but the joy of being present to God and the people directly in front of me was worth the sacrifice. Take some time to honestly reflect on how your smartphone is impacting you and be brave enough to take a risk and give yourself the gift of living in the present moment.