Learning to Be Still

"Be still and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:10

"In the secret,

In the quiet place,

In the stillness you are there..."

In today's society there is so much noise...

Through the internet and out smart phones we have constant access to limitless information, movies, music, and games. We are always connected to our friends, our family, our jobs. There is constant noise, constant stimulation, constant information. 

All of this "noise" can make it difficult to truly connect with God.

When I was in high school a new version of the above song was put out by sonic flood. In this new version it was sped up and a little "punk flair was added to the song. Many of my friends in the church loved this new version but I always thought it was contrary to the song itself. Even in a song that talks about meeting God in the "quiet place" we feel like we have to speed it up and, ultimately, make it louder. 

Yesterday I went to a coffee shop in order to get some work done and I couldn't get over how quiet it was. I should have been happy about it being quiet because I was there to focus in on work but the quiet actually seemed to distract me. It took me a while to figure out why the silence was so unusual to me and then they suddenly out on some music. It was then that I realized how trained I am to hear music in places like that. Even when we want a quiet place to step away and get work done we re used to noise being in the background. 

How often do you truly find yourself in a quiet place before God?

There is a definite time for loud praise, for time with music, as well as for other noise in our life, but there is also a time for cutting off all noise and approaching the throne of our God. 

"Be still..." 

Cut out the noise of your life for just a moment. Set aside your to-do list, your stresses, your challenges, and take a moment of silence, of stillness. 

"...and know that I am God."

Remind yourself of who He is. He is God, He is King, He is Lord. He is also Father, Savior, and Friend. He is all powerful but He is also intimate. He is strong and He is also gentle. He is our protector and He is also our comforter. 

As you take your moment of stillness, of silence, remind yourself of who He is and allow Him to step into your situation.