He says, "Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10
Be still...
What does that mean?
Don't make any rash decisions? Be Patient? Be peaceful? Or, does it just flat out plainly mean what it says... be still.
It sounds so simple.
How often are we still? I mean really still. Not still on our computer, sitting in traffic, or waiting for food at a restaurant. But still. Mind, body and soul. Just still.
Even that concept makes some of us uncomfortable. It's foreign to us. We rationalize that just being still is counterproductive. Not good uses of our time. I mean shouldn't we be multitasking away at the next project?
Our society is so driven by how full our schedules are - we measure our success by it.
We're exhausted.
Asking for more time in the day... to do what? Probably throw in a few more good work hours?
Deep down we're all wishing for more time to relax.
To just be....
To just be still...
In Barnes' notes on the bible it says that the original word "means properly to cast down; to let fall; to let hang down; then, to be relaxed slackened, especially the hands: It is also employed in the sense of not making an effort; not putting forth exertion."
Wow. They got all of that from those two little words??
Slackened...
This isn't a word used to often. I looked a little further. The verb slacken means to make slower... less intense.
Less intense???
That goes against everything society tells us. Push Harder. Squeeze a little more in.
I've actually never heard a sermon on living intensely. I don't remember Jesus ever talking about it... Peaceful - yes. Bearing fruit - yes. Intensely? Don't think so.
So why are we pushing ourselves at such an intense lifestyle? When all we really need to do is just be still? I mean really still.
Maybe if we were really still we'd find some answers to some things we've been asking God for.
If we're still we'll have time to listen...
It sounds so simple.
How often are we still? I mean really still. Not still on our computer, sitting in traffic, or waiting for food at a restaurant. But still. Mind, body and soul. Just still.
Even that concept makes some of us uncomfortable. It's foreign to us. We rationalize that just being still is counterproductive. Not good uses of our time. I mean shouldn't we be multitasking away at the next project?
Our society is so driven by how full our schedules are - we measure our success by it.
We're exhausted.
Asking for more time in the day... to do what? Probably throw in a few more good work hours?
Deep down we're all wishing for more time to relax.
To just be....
To just be still...
In Barnes' notes on the bible it says that the original word "means properly to cast down; to let fall; to let hang down; then, to be relaxed slackened, especially the hands: It is also employed in the sense of not making an effort; not putting forth exertion."
Wow. They got all of that from those two little words??
Slackened...
This isn't a word used to often. I looked a little further. The verb slacken means to make slower... less intense.
Less intense???
That goes against everything society tells us. Push Harder. Squeeze a little more in.
I've actually never heard a sermon on living intensely. I don't remember Jesus ever talking about it... Peaceful - yes. Bearing fruit - yes. Intensely? Don't think so.
So why are we pushing ourselves at such an intense lifestyle? When all we really need to do is just be still? I mean really still.
Maybe if we were really still we'd find some answers to some things we've been asking God for.
If we're still we'll have time to listen...
Well said. This is something that I constantly struggle with. When I am hurting or something is weighing heavily on my mind, I run around trying to solve/fix it, when its stated so clearly in the Bible to just be still.
ReplyDeleteThanks, I needed this today. :)
so true, thanks for sharing. I've just recently taken TV out of me morning routine, yes there's still alot going on, but it's a start. Being still can be hard, because then you really have to focus on yourself, the truth and God.
ReplyDelete