Still

Here we are in the new year. Over the last week, I have done some reflecting and some searching. And what I’ve uncovered is this: That God would have me do more. 

I have always loved storms. I love the loud crash of thunder, the heavy and constant pounding of rain, and the cracks of lightning in the sky.  I fall asleep best to the sounds of storms.  But sometimes what I love most about them is that moment just after the storm. The sky is still grey and dark, but the light is shining just underneath. The wind blows chilly against your face. The rain has stopped, but the air is crisp.  It is a special kind of stillness, a sort of refreshing peace, made all the more potent by the tumultuous storm that just passed. This is that moment.  

The last several months of 2014 for me could be described as nothing short of a whirlwind. A great storm, blowing, pushing, and thundering against every area of my busy life. But now all is still and so must I be. The stirring in my spirit was the last remnants of that storm, calling me to pay attention to the coming stillness. Today I am hearing the Lord with clarity, His words unmuddled by my constant second guessing and insecurities. His command is gentle and sure. Be Still.  

The Scriptures are over-run with the command to be still. 

Be still and know that I am God. (Psalms 46:10) 

The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still. (Exodus 14:14) 

Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. (Psalms 37:7)

When we are still, the Lord is able to transform us. When we quiet our souls, the Lord reveals himself to us. The Lord was not in the wind, or the earthquake, or the fire. He was in the whisper afterwards. And we must be still to listen. 

But lest you fall into apathy, let me assure you that stillness isn’t inaction. It is actively seeking the Lord in every situation. It is putting aside anxiety, insecurity, worry, stress, and fear so that our hearts can be silent. We can be still in busyness. We can be still in the middle of hard situations. We can be still even when we are afraid. We are still when we let our soul rest in the Lord and in who He is. We are relieved of boasting, because we know who is at work within us. We are able to see our blind spots and have our weaknesses revealed. 

No, stillness is not always easy.  It’s hard to quiet our minds with all of the distractions we surround ourselves with. And sometimes we know that if we are still, we will have to face the darkness in us, and so we actively seek out distractions so we can avoid the pain that comes with that.  But Stillness is the command from the Lord. “Teach me and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray.” And the good news has already been given to you. When your darkness is being revealed to you, and you want to shrink back in fear, you only need to be still, and the Lord will fight for you. Even better, He wins. 

This year, the Lord has commanded me personally to Be Still. To focus on that. Wrestle with that. Figure out exactly what that means and how to do it. And in the midst of all the wrestling…to be still. 

If stillness is something you struggle with, let me challenge you to seek it out this year. Wrestle with me in what it means to be still, and what the Lord would reveal about himself in that stillness, and be ready to watch Him work. 

Brooke Ledbetter