Our walk with God is fulfilling and freeing when we calm the thoughts that bounce around in our minds. We desire to focus our hearts on living in communion with the living Christ. Concentration on the living Christ connects us to the essence and presence of God on a moment-by-moment basis. (The Eternal Now – Embracing the Present Moment)
Mindful Christianity is the practice of unwavering attention to the character and nature of Christ in our daily lives. In Buddhist meditation, the term “Samadhi” is the focusing of our minds on one thing, such as our breathing, and describes that discipline as “one-pointedness.” In Mindful Christianity, the goal is to have a “one-pointedness” focus on the presence of Christ in our lives.
Another Buddhist expression, “Vipassana,” means to see things as they are in reality. In acquiring wisdom and understanding, an observer becomes caught up in the observation, and they take on its nature and characteristics. So in following Christ, the concentration on the true nature of the resurrected Christ transforms our lives into his image and being.
To be mindful is to be aware of the things we think about that divert our full attention away from the presence of God. We are acutely aware of the thoughts that drift and float about in our minds, so we may be mindful to focus our minds moment by moment on the presence of God.
When we concentrate our focus on the love of God, we discover peace and tranquility that is not of this world. When we cultivate and focus our study on the life of Christ, we sense our hearts becoming one in spirit with the living God. As we release our worries, fears, and troubling thoughts, we learn in the stillness to remain focused in our minds upon the presence of God. Thus, you discover the pearl of great price, which is the presence and love of God in possession of your heart and mind.
When we concentrate on Christ, just a few seconds or minutes can calm our hearts and minds with the peace and love of God in our souls. (Calming My Restless Mind) In meditation and the quiet of our soul, we can look deeply into our spirit and life experiences and sense our interconnectedness with God, humanity, and everything in the universe. Concentration on the Living Christ frees us to live in the presence of God moment by moment in our daily lives.
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