I don’t know about you, but sometimes it hard for me to be still. I tend to go go go until I crash. Even when I do stop moving, my mind never shuts off. Thinking, processing, daydreaming, analyzing, writing mental notes, and making lists all happen constantly. A few weeks ago, I came upon a devotional about stillness that really hit home. Do I intentionally take time to BE STILL– to slow down my body and quiet my mind? I am aware when physical exhaustion sets in. I know when my body needs rest and try to make time to recharge it. My mind and soul are another story. What do I do to find stillness in those areas? How do I quiet my mind and recharge my soul? These are serious questions I ask myself. See, I told you my brain never shuts off.
At different points during the race, I practiced stillness in different ways. Some months, I set aside time at the beginning of my quiet time to be still. Other months, I quieted my mind for a time before bed. In this stillness, I asked the Lord to clear my mind, renew my soul, and reveal to me anything He wants. While in Rwanda, I spent part of my time with the Lord in the morning sitting still before Him. In that time, do you know what I learned about stillness?
- I don’t do it enough. Because it’s more tangible, my physical health is easier to monitor and care for. I make healthy food choices, drink lots of water, stay active, and get plenty of rest when I can. It’s harder to care for the unseen, but when I do, I feel refreshed and crave more of that quiet intimate stillness with my Heavenly Father.
- Limiting distractions is key. For me, the environment is very important. I like to find a space that’s already peaceful and quiet preferably where I can’t be interrupted by other humans. This is a luxury I don’t often have on the race, so I’ve gotten creative. Listening to simple classical or piano music to drown out the external noises, staying up late once everyone has gone to bed or getting up early before they rise are all things I do to create an environment of stillness.
- The Lord speaks to me when I am still enough to listen. The past few weeks I haven’t gotten enough sleep. This is mainly because of my own choices, and I regret nothing. I did, however, recently find myself at the point of crashing. I had a very short chunk of time one afternoon between obligations and decided to lay down for a 20-minute rest. The moment I laid down and tried to shut my brain off the Lord began filling my mind with truths. I reflected on this with one of my teammates afterward. I questioned why it is that He speaks to me every time I try to take a nap. I answered my own question with the realization that maybe this is the only time I am still enough to hear Him. What if He is just waiting for me to slow down so that I can really hear what He has to say?
This month I am choosing to intentionally spend time being still in the morning and evening as well as a good chunk of time on my day off. I can’t wait to see the fruit of this!
I want to challenge you with a couple of questions. What is keeping you from seeking stillness? How can you create space in your day to pause and sit quietly with the Lord? I encourage you to keep track of how this practice goes for you and what He reveals to you during this time.
Surrender your anxiety!
Be silent and stop your striving and you will see that I am God.
I am the God above all the nations,
and I will be exalted throughout the whole earth.
Psalm 46:10
Check out this song that’s been on my heart lately… The More I Seek You -Kari Jobe
