In Psalm 46:10, the psalmist reminds us that God wants us to be still and know that He is God. If you are like me, it’s hard to just be still. I can only go so long and then I feel like I need to be on the move, I need to be doing something, anything. A sense of guilt sometimes overtakes me if I am not engaged in something for a significant amount of time. My mind starts to wander on all the tasks that remain undone – the dishes, the laundry, some item that I’ve procrastinated on, my unpainted fingernails…literally, I will find something, anything just to avoid being still.
But being still has many benefits. It allows us an opportunity to focus on who God is and to see what He is doing in us and around us Being still allows us to know: we get to know God and understand ourselves as we know Him better; we also get to know the intimate thoughts and plans of the Lord for us. Here are a few ways we can be still in a busy world:
1. Unplug
Cellphones, Facebook, Instagram, Periscope, SnapChat…You name it, we have plenty of reasons to stay connected to our phones. But the more reasons we have to stay on our phones and electronic devices, I know it seems impossible in a world in which we can’t seem to go a few minutes without checking our electronic devices. But try it. Unplug yourself intentionally from the phone, tablet or TV for a few minutes and use that time to reflect, to meditate on a scripture or to pray. If you will be driving for a long distance or sitting in traffic for a while, turn off the radio for a few minutes and ask make yourself available to God. He longs to meet us right where we are.
2. Listen more
We can listen more to people as a way to be still. Often times, my first instinct is to fight to be heard. But what if I were silent for a few seconds instead of responding with my gut reaction? What if I used those few seconds to say a short prayer for wisdom? What if I listened to others more and actually heard them as opposed to trying to get them to hear me? What if I prayed and then listened to hear God’s response?
In 1 Samuel 3:1-15, we read of how God was able to speak to Samuel. Why did God choose to speak to Samuel? Samuel was available. In 1 Samuel 3, verses 4, 6, and 8, God got Samuel’s attention and each time, Samuel was still enough to hear God call him. Although Samuel was young and was not aware of God’s voice at the time, I think we can learn from his ability to be still enough to hear God calling his name, calling him to a great revelation, calling Him into the great man of God he would become.
3. Find Opportunities to Talk to God
Maybe your mornings are crazy and you barely have time to get out of the door. Perhaps you can use your car ride to work as an opportunity to be still. Use that time to talk to God about your day and what lies ahead of you. There are plenty of other opportunities – prayer walks (use your exercise time to talk to God or to meditate on scripture), restroom/shower time (yep, I said it), while washing dishes, while waiting for the kids to get out of their activities. I often find that when I intentionally take opportunities during the mundane tasks to talk to God, my attitude improves. Instead of thinking of the five other things I could be doing instead of sitting in the car on a Tuesday night, I am able to be grateful for the opportunity to meet with God and to share my heart with him.
4. Ask God to help you identify moments when you need to be still.
Allowing God to be God means that He is in control. It means that God already knows your needs because is El Roi (the God who sees). He is God. He is organized- He has a plan despite what our eyes see. He is God. He is capable of taking us through every valley and every mountain.He is God. The next time you find yourself frazzled, frustrated, find time to be still and hear the voice of God.
Lord, I desperately need to remember to be still and know that you are God. I realize that unless I am still, I cannot know Your thoughts towards me, Your plans for me. When life is moving faster than I can keep up with, help me to carve out opportunities to be in Your presence.
What other things do you implement to be more aware of God’s presence?
