Being still is very hard for me. I am by nature high energy and a multitasker – and God created me with a very busy brain! Just like you, my greatest strengths are also my greatest weaknesses. My go-go-go busy head has served me well over the years, but it has also been an obstacle on many occasions – particularly when slowing down for much needed spiritual rest.
The kind of rest that requires being still long enough to lean-in and listen to what God has to say to me.
It’s easy to blame my avoidance of stillness on the fact that I am wired to have a million tabs open in my brain all at once. But, if I am being completely truthful, I am also wired to avoid the very thing that would give me peace. My natural bent is to avoid the truth about the hard parts of my life – my sinful nature and unpleasant issues that need addressing. I have often bought into the idea that if I stay busy enough, the hard truths of my life will not catch up with me.
But, after experiencing a few difficult and painful seasons, I am a little bit wiser now. I am allowing myself to ‘be caught’.
Since I don’t work in the summer, I try not to schedule anything in the morning and instead make my way out onto my deck under our big maple tree. It’s private, it’s pretty and, if I am disciplined enough to leave my phone in the house, I often hear from God. Not in an audible voice, but in my spirit – in my soul.
When we do it often enough, we recognize Him when He speaks.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” – John 10:27
I’d like to say that as soon as I sit down {and yes, sometimes force myself} to be still, powerful words from God flow freely into my brain and make their way into my heart. But that’s not what always happens. Sometimes I don’t hear from Him at all, and other times I do.
And when I do, He speaks to me about all those things I have been avoiding. The issues that I’d rather not think about – the ones I don’t want anyone to bring up.
But the beautiful character of our God is just this: it’s all spoken in love and truth. His grace- filled dealings with me cause me to wonder why I would ever avoid such precious and liberating time with Him at all.
I really am wiser now. I am easier to catch. I tend to settle myself down faster and my mornings on the deck have become sacred time between me and Jesus. I open my Bible and a devotional, if I am using one. I pray about the things that are on my heart, for others and for myself. And then I listen.
I used to want to skip that part, but now I know it is the one most needed thing of all.
There is a well-known story in scripture that describes two sisters. One has too many tabs open in her brain and the other has a singular thing on her mind; she literally wants to sit at the feet of our Lord – and listen.
In the story of Mary and Martha, Jesus is in the house. Martha welcomes Him and immediately starts multitasking, making sure everything is perfect for His stay with them. Her sister Mary, on the other hand, leaves all the tasks behind and takes a seat at Jesus‘s feet.
“…she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to His teaching.” (Luke 10:39)
Can we just pause for a moment and take in how counter-cultural this was at the time? The religious Jews did not esteem women and forbade them to learn from the Torah. Even so, Jesus comes in to their home and Mary takes a front row seat to lean-in and listen – and He is more than OK with it!
How utterly beautiful.
We know from the story, Martha is bothered big time and feels her sister is slacking off. She is so busy, so distracted and so upset! Jesus lovingly calls her out on this.
“Martha, Martha, the Lord answered, you are worried and upset by many things…” (vs.41)
His words, in the original Greek language, describe her agitation as having a “commotion in her head – similar to that of an unruly crowd”.
My silly friends tease me that I have a ‘great crowd in my head’ because of my ‘all tabs open’ personality – we’ve had a lot of fun with that one, but there is truth in it. Do you have a bunch of commotion going on that keeps you from taking your place at His feet?
He continues…
“…but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” (vs. 42)
There it is. The tasks can wait. The busyness is just an avoidance and time spent in quiet & calm alone with your Savior is the one most needed thing. It is the better choice.
Don’t let another day and its long list of to-dos take it from you.
Slow down.
Learn to sit in the quiet.
Allow your mind to do the same.
Be open to what He wants to say to you.
And then… let Him catch you.
