Art of Being Still

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 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!'


Psalms 46:10

In the midst of lockdown and life decision, this thought has been on my mind for a while now though I haven't written about it. When I think this verse, one of the images that come to me is that of Moses and Israelites in Exodus 14. When Israel came out of Egypt, they were caught between the Red Sea and Pharaoh's armies in pursuit. To be still and see the deliverance of the LORD was the call. But that isn't something I am good at. Being still. Yes, I am lazy (there. That's out on the Internet now) but that is different to being still. Especially when it seems like nothing is happening when there seems to be some other thing I can do.
When I am stuck in a difficult place, I will struggle, scream and anything I can to try to break the hold on me. Sometimes it works and other times, I find myself in the same place again and again. Like being stuck in lockdown. But that is exactly what I have been trying to do these days, learning to be still before God. Some of the things that have brought me to this point:
  1. The struggles of life have made me weary - Physically, Mentality and Spirituality
  2. The amount of difficulties, pressures and expectations seems to continue to grow relentlessly.
Learning to be still has been a struggle, preparing a time and place to be still and then sticking to it... Wow!! Another expectation. What I have learned though is that in being still before God (the days I just manage this..) there is peace and calmness. The behaviour and perspective changes from within, there isn't the need to compete with others but learning to understand oneself and God's gentle pull on my life. This is just about the exaltation of God, it is about learning what it means to be me. The calls of the worlds will always be there, wanting more and more of me. But in the stillness, it isn't what God wants from me. Rather, it is more about finding the acceptance from Him, from me and where I am. What are the next steps?
Being still isn't about the miracles I will see or receive, but it is about Him and His Presence. Watching myself struggle in life to keep up with people, now... It is just about being okay to be Kenny. Learning to walk with Him more consistently and in trust. That for me is being still before God.

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