“And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20, ESV
There are days when it feels like God is distant—not because He has moved, but because I have. Some days, I move through an entire day solving problems, managing needs, responding to demands, and relying almost entirely on my own strength. By the time the day ends, I’m often left with exhaustion that feels heavier than the work itself.
And yet, Jesus’ promise remains steady: “I am with you always.”
Not occasionally. Not only when I remember. Always.
The challenge is not whether God is present—it is whether I am aware of His presence.
If you find yourself forgetting this, too, here are a few simple ways to practice awareness of His nearness in the midst of a busy classroom:
- Set a daily reminder on your phone. Let it interrupt your schedule with the reminder: God is with me right now.
- Place visible anchors in your environment. A sticky note on your desk, inside your planner, or on your computer screen can quietly re-center your heart. Mine simply says, “He is here.” It is small, but it has become a steady correction throughout my day.
- And most importantly, begin intentionally inviting God into the rhythm of your day. Pray simple prayers between lessons, before difficult conversations, or even in passing moments of stress: “Lord, help me see You here.” He is not reluctant to respond—He delights to draw near.
Father, forgive me for the many moments I live as if I am on my own. You have not moved, but I so easily forget You are near. Train my heart to recognize Your presence in the middle of my responsibilities, interruptions, and exhaustion. Help me walk through each day anchored in the truth that You are with me—always. Amen.
Copyright Linda Livingston.
Linda is a Christian Educators member and teaches talented and gifted elementary students in Iowa.
One Response
The Daily Devotionals always seem to be timely, and this one was no exception. In the busyness of teaching and wrapping up the end of school year it is easy to forget that He is always present. The reminder was refreshing and I prayed in agreement that the Holy Spirit would help me recognize God’s presence today. I got ready for work as I usually do but for some reason, I was running about 10 minutes behind and it was raining so I was praying that I wouldn’t be late for work. I was driving out of my neighborhood and for no particular reason I turned down a road I don’t normally take. I didn’t think much about it.
There is a family of ducks that return annually to the fountain at the entrance of my neighborhood. They mate and then for a couple of months we have ducks with their ducklings waddling around the streets oblivious to cars and roads. On this morning as I was running late and took a different turn, I went by the fountain and turned onto the main road and just as I was beginning to accelerate a family of ducks began to cross the road. The momma duck leading the ducklings across the main road and the daddy duck standing there like a crossing guard in the early morning rain. The ducks made it across, but the daddy duck was still standing there, and I am thinking “what is he waiting for?” I look to the left and there was one duckling straggling behind that hurriedly waddled across. In that moment a car came behind and started to go around. I guess the person thought it was normal for someone to be stopped in the middle of the road. Thankfully, all the ducks made it safely across. The Holy Spirit reminded of the daily devotional and how I had prayed that God would help me recognize His presence and He did with a family of ducks. I was running late and because I was these ducks safely crossed the road. How much more is He present and we miss it? I am thankful for the reminder from Linda’s devotional, and I am thankful for God’s presence.