In every season of life, one truth becomes increasingly apparent:  

Life does not slow down.  

If anything, it becomes more demanding. Time seems to move faster with each passing year, slipping through our fingers before we fully realize where it has gone. 

Today’s families often operate more like busy corporate offices than homes. Calendars are packed with meetings, practices, performances, appointments, and deadlines. We spend hours each day connected to devices, responding to emails, scrolling through social media, and managing endless demands. Family meals around the dinner table have become increasingly rare, often replaced by quick meals eaten between activities while parents juggle work responsibilities from their phones. 

In pursuit of success and the American Dream, many have achieved levels of comfort and convenience previous generations could only imagine. Yet despite our advancements and constant connectivity, statistics consistently reveal troubling trends.  

Rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and emotional exhaustion continue to rise. While we are more connected digitally than ever before, many people feel deeply disconnected relationally and spiritually. 

When asked to identify their highest priorities, most families typically list: 

  • Family 
  • Health 
  • Faith 
  • Friends 
  • Work 

However, a closer examination of daily life often reveals a different reality: 

  • Work and commuting 
  • School and extracurricular activities 
  • Household responsibilities 
  • Screen time 
  • Entertainment 

Somewhere in the busyness, faith is often pushed to the outer spaces of our lives. 

The result is a growing deficit in the presence of God within our homes, our communities, and our personal lives. Jesus reminds us in John 15:5, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”  

While many may appear successful on the surface, the increasing rise of loneliness, anxiety, and dissatisfaction suggests that something essential is missing. 

This reality brings to mind the account found in 2 Samuel involving a man named Uzzah. God had provided clear instructions regarding the handling of the Ark of the Covenant, which represented His presence among His people. Yet Uzzah approached the sacred casually and without reverence. His disregard for God’s instructions carried severe consequences and serves as a powerful reminder that God’s presence is not something to be treated lightly. 

Following this event, the Ark was entrusted to a man named Obed-Edom. Unlike Uzzah, Obed-Edom welcomed the Ark into his home and honored the presence of God. For three months, the Ark remained with his family, and Scripture records that the Lord blessed everything connected to him during that time. 

The impact was so profound that when the Ark was later moved to Jerusalem, Obed-Edom and his family followed it. Their lives had been transformed by God’s presence. Rather than returning to life as usual, they chose to remain close to where God’s presence dwelled. Eventually, Obed-Edom and his sons became gatekeepers, faithfully serving in the house of God. What began as making room for God’s presence in one home became a legacy of devotion that extended for generations. 

This raises an important question: What might change in our lives if we intentionally made room for the presence of God? 

What if we prioritized His presence with the same determination we devote to our schedules, careers, and activities? What if we truly believed that apart from Him we can do nothing? Perhaps the very things we strive so hard to achieve on our own would begin to fall into place when aligned with His purposes. 

The challenge facing believers today is not merely finding more time. It is deciding what deserves our highest value. Obed-Edom understood that the presence of God was worth rearranging his life around. His story invites us to consider whether we are doing the same. 

In a world filled with distractions and endless demands, God’s presence remains the one thing capable of bringing true peace, purpose, and lasting fulfillment. The question is not whether God is willing to dwell with us.  

The question is whether we are willing to make room for Him. 

Mercy Multiplied offers programs and resources that help people find freedom in Christ. Find out more at https://mercymultiplied.com/. 

Are you or someone you know struggling with life-controlling issues? Mercy offers a Residential Program for young women ages 13-32 and it is completely free of charge. Learn more at https://mercymultiplied.com/residential-program/ .