Immerse

By Pastor Paul Gauche

Today’s Word: ‘Immerse’ as in… claiming the courage to explore what each moment has to teach.

Each of the seven thriving rhythms has a guiding narrative. Being ‘Present’ acknowledges that as image-bearers of the Divine, we are called to be fully present human beings. We thrive in the present as people who practice sabbath rhythms, seek margin, welcome silence, pause to listen, acknowledge thin space, and immerse in what each moment has to teach.

The moment had a lot to teach. Nancy Lee, I, and Emily, our nearly 6-year-old granddaughter, were immersed in the film version of C.S. Lewis’s beloved story, “The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.” We reveled in every character, including Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Aslan, the wise, compassionate Lion, mesmerized us. We cheered on Tumnus, the faun. We booed and hissed at Jadis, the White Witch. Oh, my.

All of these characters have long inspired me. But it’s that wardrobe that continues to be most engaging for me. There it is – the wardrobe at the far end of the room. It calls us to come closer. There it is – the wardrobe door, begging to be opened. There it is – the back wall of the wardrobe. Or wait. Is that another door to be opened?

There it is: the challenge of being fully immersed in what the moment has to teach.

Being fully immersed in what each moment teaches us requires acknowledging our hesitations, fears, and limitations. Being immersed in each moment may mean acknowledging our hurts and brokenness.

And yet, something transformational happens when we consider that fear could be our friend, that struggle may be our teacher, that hope is our motivation, and that Spirit is our strength. When we immerse ourselves in what this moment has to teach us, we just might rediscover that we are never alone.

Not now. Not ever.

Thriving Reflections:

++ Describe a moment that taught you a lot. What did you learn?

++ What challenging moments are you currently facing? What are they teaching you?

++ How does being immersed in every present moment help you thrive?

#100days50words

#Thriv’ëra

Paul Gauche is the Pastor of Life Transitions at Prince of Peace. His posts are part of his #100days50words project, where he blogs about a different word each week. You can follow his project on Instagram (@pgauche) or his blog, Thriving Rhythms.