Living by faith, keeping in step with the Spirit, and setting our minds on things above are definitely challenging, but they are also joy-producing, peace-giving, and exhilarating pursuits. However, sometimes we get distracted, deceived, and diverted from our calling to live in the Kingdom of God because let’s face it, life can be overwhelming!

So I have worked on an acronym to help increase my attentiveness to God’s presence in my life and to keep me focused on Him. This tool is only that—it is not a rule, but it is one way to cooperate with the grace of God. The tool merely serves the grand vision of being led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14) and participating in the divine nature (2 Peter 1:3-4). Maybe it will help you, too!

A.I.M.S.

ADMIT helplessness and dependence. Humility is the precondition for experiencing God’s presence, and therefore it is important to continually confess our need for God and His grace. This is a way for us to not “rely on our own understanding,” but rather to forsake self-reliance for trusting wholeheartedly in God in everything (Proverbs 3:5-6).

IN Christ. Paul uses this short prepositional phrase over 150 times in the New Testament, and it forms the key to understanding the accomplishment of the Cross, the position of the believer, and the resources available to us. In Christ, we have an eternal identity as God’s beloved children; in Christ, all God’s promises to us are “yes” (2 Cor. 1:20); in Christ, we have every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3).

MAGNIFY Christ. We declare our intention to allow Christ to live His life through us (Galatians 2:20) and therefore, be magnified in and through us.

SITUATIONS … Prayerfully think through the situations we are facing, with the “A.I.M.” of our heart centered on living in His presence.