Lingering with the Holy: Finding Peace and Presence in the Now
Why your soul needs quiet moments to hear Spirit's gentle voice
Have you ever had a day when things were so busy, and then there was this one moment when you were invited to just hold the moment and linger? It is a quiet invitation hidden in a breath, to stay put and not rush. What did you do in that moment?
It’s too easy to get caught in answering emails, processing the latest news, and tending to endless to-do lists. And yet, the Spirit invites us to linger more. What’s the hurry? God tends to speak in the spaces we rush past and the pauses we neglect. So, why not just hold the moment and linger? Why not resist the cultural pull to speed up and awaken to lingering with the holy?
Breath of life, show each of us how we can slow down a bit. Help us to notice the miracle of moments and linger. Let us stop and notice the warmth of coffee, the sunlight on our hands, and our beating hearts. Teach us how to linger with You instead of grasping for time. May it be so.
There is a lot to be said about slowing down, holding moments, and lingering. It is a spiritual practice that opens the door to presence, and when we pause, we find that God is already there, waiting, whispering through the laughter of a friend, the rustling of leaves, and the silence that follows prayer.
Last Fall, I was consumed by fear, crumbling under a weight of unspoken attempts at guilt, obligation, and responsibility. When I am in that place, I will walk it off. It’s a sentiment from my long-lost days of playing sports. I can still hear my coach yelling at me, “Nancy, walk it off!”
So, I went out for a walk. There is a bench on my path, and I usually walk past it, but that day, I made the choice to sit on the bench and do nothing but breathe. I was taught several types of anxiety breathing techniques, so I used one of them as I sat silently, watching people and life pass me. Then, I heard the birds. It was Fall, so it was a bit chilly. I clutched at my coat as the chill made me shiver a bit.
And in that moment, I realized something. I felt the chill. I slowed down enough to breathe and feel the chill. If I had been walking, I would have either not felt chilly or I would have just pulled my hoodie up around my head.
Then, as I was invisibly patting myself on my back, I looked up and watched a leaf float by. I lingered in that moment, watching the leaf in its spiraling descent. And just like that, my worries went poof! For a brief moment, I forgot about the rest of my life and paused.
Something else happened, too. I felt cradled by something bigger than myself — a Presence that didn’t need me to perform or fix anything or do something. That simple pause reminded me that the Creator is always near, and divine love softened my heart.
What’s the point of lingering?
You’ve heard of negative consequences? Well, lingering causes the opposite. There are positive consequences for the heart and soul.
For your heart
Your nervous system softens: When you hold the moment and linger, your heart rate slows and calms stress responses. This allows your body to feel safe and supported. I don’t know about you, but I need more of that!
You feel connected and grounded: Instead of speeding through your days, lingering gives room for your heart to nestle into gratitude, compassion, and love. Also, a plus, right?
Emotional resilience: When you are present to moments, you create space to feel emotions without judgment, which then leads to deeper emotional clarity. Wooh! Let’s high-five on that!
For your soul
Awakening to the Spirit: Holding the moment and lingering opens your soul to the sacred whispers that are often drowned out by your busy days. It’s not that your to-do isn’t important. It’s about knowing that lingering is healthy on so many levels.
Tasting eternity now: Different faith traditions consistently guide their believers toward the belief that holding a moment and lingering in the present embodies the fullness of divine presence. In other words, lingering allows you to experience a moment of eternity as if the eternal is in the now.
Remembering your wholeness: When you hold the moment and linger, you reconnect with your inner truth, which reminds you that you are not defined by tasks or worries, but by your belovedness. Yes, indeed.
Was there a time when you felt fully present in a moment? How long did you linger? What happened, and how did you feel?
What keeps you from holding moments and lingering in your daily life? If you can name one thing, is that one thing also something you can delegate or somehow reprioritize so you can have more linger time?
Imagine holding a moment. How might this be a way for you to experience holiness in your everyday?
Pause before you begin: Before starting your day or tasks throughout your day, place your hand over your heart, take three deep breaths, and whisper, “I am here.”
Single-tasking instead of multitasking as sacredness: Choose one simple activity — drinking coffee or tea, walking, folding laundry, or doing dishes. Do it slowly and notice the different sensations. What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you see? How does it feel to touch the water, fabric, or dish?
Linger in the gratitude: At the end of a day, sit with one memory or detail that brings gratitude. Hold it for a moment and linger. Let the joy rise up.
I honor the present moment as a sacred gift, choosing to linger so the Spirit can speak to my heart.
May the softness of time help you to feel more joy and gratitude, the same way the Spirit bends it into eternity. May you hold moments and linger long enough to see the divine in the simplest moments and details — the kindness of a smile, the grace in your breath, the wag of your pet’s tail, or the loving gaze of your spouse or significant other. May each moment you hold hold you back in love.
May you know that you are loved because you matter.
May your soul be refreshed.
sdg