I am not sure if you have had the gift of seeing the Grand Teton Mountains in person, but to do so is to see the grandeur of God. During my summer vacation, I spent some time hiking, relaxing and watching these powerful mountains before me. Their beauty is beyond words. Their height, depth and magnificence tells me that the worries that keep me up at night and the stress of the day are not necessary, because God has everything under control. I wonder if the grandeur is God’s way of saying, “It’s ok, I am right here.”

It is the same experience when you see Old Faithful, watch the sunrise at the Grand Canyon, see the gentle smoky mountains that go on forever, and sit next to the ocean to hear the waves rush in again and again. To see these awe inspiring places remind us that we stand in the presence of God.

And yet, I have been to each of these places, and more often than not, I come across people on a mission rushing from one place to the next. They hurry around the next bend in the trail, marking off landmarks and sights in order to say they have seen it. I always feel sad for these people because they are missing something by rushing. They are missing something because they haven’t taken the moment to stop and really see what is before them.

It is easy to do. I know because I often do it every day as I rush from meeting to meeting, race through e-mails and hurry to complete projects. It is like running around the bends in the road to see what might be around the next corner instead if standing in the moment. It is easy to get ahead of ourselves and think it is our job to solve the problems, fix the situation and turn lemons into lemonade.

We all need to be reminded that God’s presence is in this place. It is easy to forget that God has a plan for whatever situation you are in, that the Holy Spirit is in the projects, plans and meetings we attend. It makes me wonder if God creates these places as reminders that in the midst of whatever is going on in your life, we are standing in the presence of God.

I encourage you to see where God shows up today in your life, whether it is at Grand Teton National Park, in an office or at home.