Be Still…

“Be still, and know that I am God!” Psalm 46:10

At the beginning of this year, the only thing I could hear God say was, “Rest in My presence.”

And I am learning just how hard that is for me.

I’m an active person. I am always on the go, trying to get stuff done. I rarely sit. I always have a goal of 10,000+ steps for day. I’m either running errands, planning for the next event, doing household chores, cooking, or anything to just stay busy.

For example, yesterday I had a couple of appointments in the morning. When I got home, I started cooking. I noticed the bananas had reached the end of their usable life, so I decided to make some gluten-free banana bread (it has become our favorite!). Then, I thought I’d get a jump on dinner so I made some pizza. When Roy got home, we decided to run to the store and grab some fruit. After I made today’s breakfast and lunch, I decided to sit down on the couch and watch the OKC Thunder game.

I fell asleep before the game ever started.

The minute I slowed my body, I crashed. Maybe it’s a sign my thyroid meds need to be adjusted (I’m working on that) or maybe it’s a sign that I simply need to learn to slow down.

I’ve even discovered my best times with God are not sitting alone in His presence. Instead, my best times are when I’m outside taking a walk, listening to sermons or praise music, and praying as I walk. For some reason, activity is actually a way I engage my body and my mind.

I guess when I look at it that way, for me activity is not always bad. But, like I said, I have heard God repeatedly say, “Rest in My presence.”

I went to Colorado to dog-sit for my oldest a few weeks ago. After he and his wife returned home from a short trip, we all decided to go hiking and fishing. The hike was a little over a mile long, and we gained around 600-700 feet in elevation. When we got to our destination, it was sheer beauty!

But what I wasn’t prepared for was the silence!

I’m not sure I’ve ever experienced the silence I felt in Colorado. At one point, I was sitting on a rock alone when a bird flew over. I could hear the sound of the wings as they flapped in the air. At another point, I began to hear a whooshing. I looked all around trying to figure out what it was. I sounded as if a major rain was moving straight toward us. After about 90 seconds, a wind hit us out of nowhere. The previously still lake began to move as the wind swept over the surface. Shortly after the wind hit us, it was gone, continuing across the mountain.

I say all of this to say, I am realizing that silence and stillness are lost disciplines in my life–and quite possibly in yours. We live in a world that values busyness and activity, and I have fallen prey to it.

There is nothing wrong with movement. As a matter of fact, I am learning that the stillness of an outdoor walk is actually a gift. I do love movement–which is the way God made me. And, because it’s the way I’m wired, it is actually a gift to go outside and move. My walks also get me away from the many distractions in the house–the incomplete chores that are constantly clamoring for my attention–and give me a place to truly focus on God.

There is still no replacement for being still and silent in God’s presence. They are disciplines–even commands of scripture.

But how do we learn to be still and silent in His presence?

Acknowledge the need. I think one of the first things we have to do is acknowledge we need stillness and silence. Our society prides itself on being busy. We wear busyness as a badge of honor. We wear exhaustion as a reminder of how hard we work.

Quite honestly, that’s not what scripture teaches us about the Christian life. The Christian life is one where the yoke is easy and the burden is light (Matthew 11:30). God’s way of life is to rest in Him and let Him carry the burden. Think about all the times God commanded the Israelites to rest, to trust Him to fight the battle (Exodus 14:14).

Ask for His help. As I said above, I don’t know how to be still. I don’t know how to silence my mind. It has become a daily prayer. Lord, help me to slow down and know you. Silence my mind so the only thing I hear is Your voice. Show me how to enjoy the silence and stillness as I trust You to live this life through me.

God loves for us to be dependent on Him.

Make silence and stillness something you practice. I’m not good at some of the spiritual disciplines like fasting and silence and solitude. It’s something I am learning to practice on a regular basis. Right now, I have every Friday marked as my day of fasting and prayer. I’ve not been very good at follow-through, but it’s a weekly reminder to practice the discipline.

It’s the same with silence and stillness. Unless I have a reminder of some type, there’s a good chance it will just go by the wayside in our American culture that prioritizes activity. However, God’s way is almost always counter-cultural. If we want to find God and hear His voice, we need to prioritize practicing His presence.

I am planning another trip to Colorado in a couple of weeks. This time, I am prepared for the silence. I am actually looking forward to getting away from the hustle and bustle of life and simply being still in His presence. I realize we don’t always get the opportunity to run off to Colorado where stillness is so obvious, but we can all carve out time for silence and simplicity in our lives. It’s not natural, but it is so necessary.

How can you choose to be still this week?