Visualizing God’s presence not only bestows comfort, but it restrains sinful tendencies. The other day I was visiting a new Christian who told me he was studying his Bible, praying each day, and sharing his faith with others. But he was having one problem. Every so often, a noxious word would fly from his mouth like a sudden burp.

“Well,” I said, “give me an example. Go ahead and curse right now.”

“Oh, no,” he said with embarrassment. “I can’t do that.”

“Sure you can,” I replied. “Let ‘er fly.”

“No!”

When I asked why, he replied, “You’re my pastor. I can’t cuss in front of you.”

“Well,” I said, “if you’re ashamed to cuss in my presence, why aren’t you ashamed to do it in the Lord’s presence? He’s always with you.”

The young man got my point. The reality of God’s presence both comforts our hearts and restrains our behavior.

Robert J. Morgan, The Red Sea Rules. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 2001, p. 75-76.