Day 30 - Mindful of God’s presence

“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.” — Isaiah 9:2

Hope is not simply an emotion we feel when life is easy; hope is a light that breaks into the darkest places of our lives and our world. Christmas reminds us that God stepped into human suffering — not from afar, but as Emmanuel, God with us. Mindfulness invites us to notice that hope, to be present to God’s nearness, even when our surroundings feel cold, messy, or uncertain.

During a recent retreat at Keswick, I found myself hiking in a storm. The ground was slippery, the rain soaked my clothes, and the cold seemed to cut through my layers. I took shelter under a large tree, listening to the rain hit the branches above. In that moment of stillness, my thoughts went to the refugees in Burma/Myanmar — elderly people, parents carrying infants, children walking barefoot — forced into the jungle or mountains because their homes had been burned and their villages destroyed.

I was on that hillside by choice; they are on the hills by desperation.

As I sat there, I was reminded of Psalm 34:18:

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”

And of Psalm 46:1:

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

The storm around me became a mindful moment — an awareness of God’s blessings in my own life and a compassionate awareness of the suffering of others. This combination is at the heart of Christian mindfulness: being present, being grateful, and being moved toward prayer and empathy.

Jesus entered a world marked by fear, uncertainty, and displacement. As a child, he himself became a refugee when Joseph and Mary fled to Egypt (Matthew 2:13–15). He knows the pain of being uprooted. He knows the fear of unstable ground.

In our waiting — for peace, for healing, for restoration — mindfulness invites us not to escape the pain, but to sit gently with it, and to let the hope of Christ shine into it.

As John 1:5 proclaims:

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

Prayer

Lord Jesus, Light of the World,

In this season of Advent and Christmas, teach us to be mindful of your presence — in our blessings and in our burdens. Help us to notice the quiet ways you reveal hope each day.

We especially lift before you, refugees around the world — those who walk through literal and spiritual darkness. Protect families fleeing violence. Shelter children who sleep under open skies. Strengthen the elderly who journey without rest. Comfort those who mourn the loss of home, safety, and loved ones. Be their refuge, their strength, and their light.

May your peace surround them, your justice defend them, and your hope sustain them.

And Lord, stir our hearts to compassion, that we may be bearers of your light to a weary world. Amen.

Mindful Practice for the Week

• Light a candle each evening, and let its glow remind you of Christ’s light that no darkness can overcome.

• Pause for two minutes of silence, breathing slowly and inviting God to centre your heart.

• Reflect on one moment of hope you encountered today — no matter how small.

• Read a Gospel verse, and ask: What does this reveal about the hope Christ brings into my life and into the world?

• Pray for refugees, that the God who guided Israel through the wilderness will guide and sustain them today.

Thandar Tun