The Art of Being Still
The Art of Being Still by Karisa Tolley, Radiant Coordinator
What does it look like to, “be still”? For me, I think about being a kid and playing the game red light – green light. Do you remember that game? Someone would call out "red light" or "green light." If a red light was called, you needed to stand as still as possible or be out of the game. Many of us think of physical action when we hear, “be still”. At least that’s how I viewed it for a very long time. However, the more I’ve gone through life, the more I realize that being still has more to do with our souls than it does our physical actions. I love Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God,” because it is a reminder that when we are still, we can fully put our attention on the Lord.
Life can be so crazy and often our soul tends to feel chaotic and all over the place. We feel in our spirit the pull to be everything to everyone, to always have everything in order, to make sure on the outside we look like we are thriving, the list could go on and on. But, if we just took a second to pause, we would quickly realize that our soul is restless. We would realize that because we have focused so much on making our external situation seem perfect, we neglected our internal situation and now that feels messy and unsteady. The reality is we often only focus on what we can see and because we cannot see our soul, we tend to forget to care for it. Thankfully, we serve a loving and gracious God who has always cared deeply about our souls and wants to help us do the same. I love what Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer”. This is such a beautiful example of the posture we need to take and what “being still” can look like. Rejoice in what is to come and not be so fixated on what is currently happening, be patient when the inevitable trials arise in life and know that God is with you every step of the way, and be constant…not here and there, but CONSTANT in prayer! This verse explains what it looks like to steady ourselves, to “be still” and let the Lord fight our battles while we still play our part.
Being still does not mean doing nothing. It doesn’t mean neglecting everything, pushing all responsibilities to the side, and no longer prioritizing having our lives in order. It means that we need to take moments to rest, moments to refuel, moments that steady and still our souls. Matthew 11:28-29 says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”. God desires for us to rest in him, he desires for us to be still through his power.
So today, take some time to reflect. Ask yourself how you are really doing. But don’t just stop there. Figure out ways today to prioritize taking care of your soul and finding true rest and stillness in the Lord. He is for you!!