One Simple Question to Practice Reflection in a Full and Busy Season

Reflecting on May and how I'm staying present to God in the chaos

This has been a season of loss and transition, a time of both joy and sorrow. The month of May tends to hold a lot for many of us, and this year it was a month that was especially full for me.

It started with the death of my beloved grandmother on May 1 and a quick 3-day trip out of town for her funeral with my family in Virginia.

Then I was out of town again the following week for my final retreat as I completed a two-year spiritual direction program (I’ll share more on this soon!).

From there, we moved right into the end of school and beginning of summer, which brings a change of routine and schedule, less alone time, and all the chaos and joy this time of year can bring.

We also took a family vacation with just the four of us, which was a wonderful way to start the summer, but also came at the end of a very busy month.

Not to mention the transition out of elementary school and into junior high this fall, and we are feeling all of the changes deeply around here.

This is a season that feels like it’s moving quickly. The days have been full of tasks and preparations, and it seems like as soon as one major event is over, it’s on to get ready for the next.

This season is full of moments I want to notice and name, to mark the occasion and be present to the significance of it. But who has time for that when there are things to get done?

Sometimes when life is full, I find myself just trying to put my head down and push through until I get past the chaos. I find myself longing for a break and relief, for space to breathe, but life keeps coming at me.

I can end up trying to just get through to the other side, instead of being present to what is right in front of me.

These are the times in life when reflection is more important than ever, yet feels so out of reach.

What does it look like to create time for reflection in a season when quiet and space is limited?

Photo by Andrew Small on Unsplash

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We often think deep soul reflection requires hours of time, getting away from it all and closing ourselves in a retreat center to hear from God.

Times of retreat are important and needed. But if we wait until we can get away from our life to reflect on it, we’ll miss the daily moments worth noticing.

Creating small moments of reflection in our busy days allows us to be present here and now. This does not have to take a lot of time, and can fit right into the cracks and crevices of our busy days.

This is why I love teaching and talking about simple spiritual practices. It’s about noticing and naming God’s presence and activity in our everyday life, and God wants to meet you right where you are. He knows your season, and He sees the complexities and demands of your life.

God isn’t waiting with His arms crossed for you to get away from it all. He is right here with you, arms open, ready to walk with you in the middle of the noise and busyness and chaos.

The invitation is to pause and notice–even for just a few minutes–to notice Him.

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How do we notice God in busy seasons?

There are many practices I could share for this, but what I want to offer is one simple question.

It’s something you can ask God at the end of your day that will help you not just rush on to the next thing. Here it is:

God, what do you want me to notice about my day?

That’s it. Ask God this question, listen to what comes up, and maybe jot it down.

Here’s why this is so powerful: We often rush through our days without taking the time to notice the bigger picture of what’s really going on. We got lost in the details and to-dos, simply trying to keep up.

So this question allows us to pause and see our life from God’s perspective. It creates space for God to remind us how he sees us too.

It’s not a time for us to dwell on what we left undone, or even what we accomplished. By asking God what He wants us to notice, our eyes can become open to His presence and movement in ways we might have missed in the moment.

There are some seasons that require so much of us that we need to keep our time of reflection simple. This question helps us to process our days one at a time, instead of allowing it all to build up until we have a longer space for it.

It gives us the chance–even if it’s just five minutes of our day–to take a breath, to name what really matters with God, and reset for all that is to come.

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If steps are helpful, here is how you might implement this practice:

• Choose a time. When in your day feels best to do this reflection? You might find it helpful to attach it to an already existing habit or routine. Maybe it’s before you watch TV at night, or before you read in bed. It could also be done in the morning as you reflect on the day before.

• Ask the question. God, what do you want me to notice about my day?

• Reflect on your day with God. It might be helpful to recall what your day held, even “watching” it as if it’s a movie playing back. Remember to imagine God watching it with you.

• Listen. Sit in silence, and see what you hear or feel from God. It’s okay if there’s not anything specific that comes to mind. Simply noticing God with you, both during your day and as you reflect, is more than enough.

• Optional: Jot down what you notice. You might find it helpful to write it down. This could be one simple word or phrase, or a bullet-point list.

• Begin again. Close out the time with a short prayer, asking God for the grace to begin again tomorrow. Leave this day behind, and receive God’s new mercies that come with every morning.

Keep it simple so you can be consistent. This can be done in five minutes, which makes it easy to keep up with in a busy season.

When life is full, even short times of reflection allow us to be more present to what is, instead of rushing ahead to what’s next. I hope this simple question gives you some space to notice God, who is present in all of life.

Tell us in the comments: How do you stay present and aware of God in busy seasons?