“Be still and know that I am God.” – Psalm 46:10
Do you struggle with being still?
Life can be so busy and filled with all kinds of things grasping for our attention, that from the time our eyes open in the morning until our head hits the pillow at night, there are days when it’s a struggle even just to slow down. And yet, God tells us to do it, so it’s obviously important.
One thing I’ve learned is that stillness is a practice that takes time. Unfortunately, there’s no formula...as life itself doesn’t seem to ever settle into a long-standing, predictable pattern. So our challenge becomes fighting to make time to be still no matter what. Sometimes it will change the frequency of our moments of stillness, sometimes it will change the duration...and other times it will completely alter what our moments of stillness look like altogether.
And maybe that’s a key to it being achievable over the long term - that we’re not only willing to fight to make it happen (because we value what it brings us) but that we’re willing for it to adapt and look different in the ever-changing seasons we find ourselves in.
I’ve come to learn that stillness is ultimately a form of worship. Honouring God, by clearing everything else out of the way, in order to focus on Him and Him alone. That’s not an easy feat to do at times…
I find it helpful to physically move to a location where I can be alone… and honestly, some times that means me getting back up out of bed when everyone else has finally gotten into bed to sleep and I get up and kneel on my living floor, so I can be alone in silence. Often, I’ll grab my notebook, to jot down anything that is on my mind that is distracting me from focusing…. I simply write it down so I’ll remember it later and my mind can hopefully be still. It’s then, in the silence, that I can physically be still, with my mind calm to simply focus on Who God is.
Who is God to me today? How have I experienced His love, comfort, hope, passion, freedom… today and this week?
Practicing stillness may look completely different for you… it may be locking yourself in a bathroom with a timer on for 5 minutes so you can briefly remove yourself from the noise in your house. It could be taking a drive to a parking lot and sitting. It could be getting up before everyone else does, or like me, staying up until everyone else has gone to bed…. Whenever it is, for however long it is… the point is that we put in the effort and make it happen.
I’m reminded of how many times Jesus got away to be alone. To pray, to be still with His Heavenly Father… I can’t help but think, if Jesus needed to do that to keep a right focus, right perspective, and to be fueled and filled up for His purpose on earth, how much more do we need to follow His example?
So, how and when will you be still today?
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