Glimmers of God—Attuning to His Presence

I set up space in my Bullet Journal to record daily “Glimmers.” A glimmer is a cue that stimulates a positive emotional response, filling me with gratitude, joy, and love. It could be a sleeping grandchild or the moonlight shimmering across the bay. Maybe it’s a whiff of cinnamon rolls fresh out of the oven or inhaling the salty air at the beach.

Noticing glimmers grew out of what I once called my gratitude journal. That practice had grown tedious, and I often listed broad items such as my family, my home, my health. Nonspecific, and without putting much thought into it.

Glimmers of God

I think of glimmers as small glimpses of God throughout the day. This is a practice that helps keep me in the moment and attuned to God’s presence. Staying on the alert for glimmers of God has become a spiritual practice for me.

I believe these glimmers are God’s invitation to acknowledge, appreciate, and accept His gift of joy. They help me see God’s work in my life. They help me know God’s love more deeply. They remind me that “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights” (James 1:17 NIV).

Glimmers Help Counter Triggers

On the flip side of the coin, most of us have experienced emotional triggers. These triggers generate feelings of anxiety and stress by causing our brains to associate something happening in the present moment with a past traumatic event.

For example, I was in an automobile accident several years ago. Another car T-boned mine when the driver ran a stop sign. For a while thereafter, taking the wheel to drive triggered that memory. My heart rate would accelerate and my breathing grow shallow as a short-lived panic swept through me. I’m still wary of stop signs!

A friend’s trigger illustrates another example. When she ended a relationship with a man, he began stalking her. She lived in fear and dread until the court finally banned him from getting within a certain distance of her. But ten years later, spotting a car like his still triggers an unpleasant emotional response.

Besides the emotional triggers that confront us, we live in an overstimulated world. Noticing glimmers helps regulate our nervous systems by moving our bodies to a state of calm, connection, and comfort. [1]

Glimmers of God bring joy, the sense of His presence, and an opportunity to express gratitude. Let’s learn to recognize and cultivate glimmers.

I often see God in nature. I wonder if that’s why God made me an outdoorsy beach and trail lover. However, we can find God anywhere when we look for Him.

When you see glimmers of God as you navigate your day, welcome them by taking a moment to practice gratitude for the cause of your delight. Whether it’s the beauty of creation, a person—or a photo of a person—a taste or smell, a cozy blanket or a bird’s song, recognize them as a personal connection with God.

Glimmers are Biblical

Curious to know if glimmers are Biblical, I searched the Bible. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance lists the Greek word, diauzago (1306), as meaning “to glimmer through, i.e. (break) as day — dawn.[2]

Peter uses the word in powerful and visual Scripture that correlates to tuning in to God’s presence. Read this uplifting verse slowly, allowing it to brighten your day.

 “We have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns (glimmers) and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19 NIV).

Day after day.

So tell me, where did you see glimmers of God’s presence this week?

[1] https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-glimmer-5323168

[2] https://biblehub.com/greek/1306.htm

Featured Image by Pexels from Pixabay

Thanks for reading!

Immersed in His Love,

Candyce