The world we live in is constantly tugging us in different directions. We are racing to complete the things on our to-do lists, trying to cram even more into our overflowing calendars, attempting to prioritise our jam-packed schedules, and our minds are constantly distracted. Multi-tasking is considered the most effective way to be productive. We are commended when we thrive in the chaos in and around us!
I plead guilty to all this and more!
In the past couple of weeks, our newspaper headlines and primetime news blared out as if from Psalms 46, "The world is shaking, nations are in uproar, waters roar and foam." Yet into the midst of all this, the Lord reminds us to "Be still, and know that I am God.”
Paradoxical as it may sound, this is exactly what our weary, confused minds and souls need.
Being still is not an excuse to be lazy or slack, but rather an exercise in faith where we focus on Him and know that He is the Lord God of all mankind. Stillness requires us to take the focus off us- our short-term vision, our wavering weariness, our limited abilities, our human strength, our uncertainties. It encourages us to look beyond the cloud of uncertainty, confusion, and everything else that distracts us.
While the world implores us to run, God reminds us to slow down, just soak in His presence, to listen to His small still voice above the clamour and din on our devices.
The invitation to be still is not a passive suggestion or a mind game; it is an irresistible offer to stop striving and to know that our help comes from the Maker of the heavens and the earth. We may not understand, but the One whose understanding is unsearchable is leading us! Even when the strongest ones among us are weary, tired, and worn out, the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, and does not faint or grow weary. We don’t have to hold it all together because the One who holds the Universe is the One who is holding us!
The Bible tells us of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, freed after centuries of slavery. The Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land. Soon enough, Pharaoh’s formidable army was right behind them, and the vast Red Sea was ahead of them. Panic and fear spread quickly through the multitude. Many voices would have offered suggestions, the disgruntled voices would have protested, and the fearful voices would have cried out.
Yet in the face of most of the trying times of his life, Moses tells the people he leads, "Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today." Exodus 14: 13
Moses did not issue terse orders to take up arms or flail his arms in despair. He told them to be still. To quit fretting. To stop worrying. To stop thinking of the quickest way of escape.
It was a command to stop striving in their own strength and to watch God move on their behalf. And He did. The Red Sea parted, and there was dry ground where there had been none. God made a way where there was no way!
Being still is not inaction or passivity or slackness. Being still is an active act of faith, of trusting God to work even when we cannot see it as yet, as we realise that the greatest miracles in our lives did not happen when we were running around in our own strength and abilities. The breakthrough came after the decision to surrender, to stand still.
Stillness prepares us to be obedient, to listen to instructions, to take the next step forward. As with the Israelites, once the Red Sea parted, they had to walk through it. The stillness on the shore gave them the confidence to walk through the dry ground as the walls of water held up!
While there are so many things that occupy our mind space and jostle for our attention and shift our focus, a few practical ways to consciously be still would be:
Finding a quiet nook and carving out time to spend alone with the Lord is a priority. It would be ideal to do this before the day’s demands come pouring in.
The news, updates, and everything else can wait while we wait upon the Lord. Emptying our minds and thoughts of everything else and filling it with the Word of God is radical and life-altering.
A W Tozer says, “When you are still, you learn to hear the voice of God.” And that is when the battle in our mind turns from chaos to calm, from struggle to stillness.
While there is no right way to do this, a practice that is of immense help is to write down what the Lord is teaching us.
It is in the stillness that He reveals His battle plans, gives us direction, changes our minds or our circumstances, and shows us the way we should walk ahead!
Writing it down helps us remember and look back at His guidance. Lord, the world says this, but Your Word says this!
Laying down my burdens in prayers and acknowledging that He alone is Lord and I am not and cannot be in charge, provides immeasurable relief. Inviting Him to be Lord over all aspects of my life, including the areas that I struggle with, is a good start. The respite that comes from ‘letting go and letting God’ is life-changing and worth the surrender.
I believe we are not called to strive and struggle, but rather take up the stance of stillness, even in the middle of chaos, because it is in that stillness that we truly realise the One we worship.
As we face life’s challenges and impossible situations, may we remember the importance of stillness as a spiritual discipline. May that be our response to the commotion all around us!
Photo by Harli Marten on Unsplash
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