One of my favorite quotes is a simple two words: be still. These two words are seen multiple times in the Bible.
He says, "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
Psalm 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;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in His way, over
the man who carries out evil devices!
Psalm 37:7
These are just a few of the verses. There are also verses like Ecclesiastes 3:7 that tell us there is a time to be silent. Be still. Be silent. Such wisdom in such small words. Two words that help us to refocus or recalibrate. Yet, in this fast paced world, how can we truly be still?
Here are a four ways to be still in the middle of busy.
Take a prayer walk.
There is something very powerful and cleansing about nature, after all, it is God's creation. Take fifteen or so minutes and go on a walk. This could be done in your neighborhood or around the building of your job on a break. While on your walk, put your phone on silent or leave it at home or work or in the car. Start your walk by just praising God. Telling Him how good and wonderful He is and how much you love Him. Then start thanking Him for His blessings in your life. Next, ask God to speak to you. Then, this is very important, be quiet. Just walk and let God love on you. If you don't hear from Him, just enjoy being in His presence. Keep your mind focused on Him, don't wander to tasks needing done or your favorite tv show.
Journal.
When you journal, it forces you to slow down. Journaling can be writing out Scripture or writing out blessings. Don't worry about being perfect or how good your handwriting is. Just write. Bible journaling can also be the more artistic side like illustrating things from the Bible. I love the Bible journaling kits by Dayspring for this purpose. They offer all you need to journal. Turn the noise of the world off, grab your journal, and be still as you journal your thoughts to God.
Unplug.
In this very plugged in world, it almost seems ludicrous to unplug. We think that someone will surely need us or will will certainly miss out on something if we unplug. However, the truth is, being constantly plugged in just causes noise and distraction in our lives. Plan an unplugged day. Shut off all devices like phones, tablets, computers, and tvs. When the noises is off, we are better tuned in to hear God. You can also turn off notifications on your devices. Last summer I turned off all notifications for social media on my phone. The only time my phone alerts me is to a call or text. I had only planned to do this for a couple of weeks, but it was life changing and I will not go back!
Journal.
When you journal, it forces you to slow down. Journaling can be writing out Scripture or writing out blessings. Don't worry about being perfect or how good your handwriting is. Just write. Bible journaling can also be the more artistic side like illustrating things from the Bible. I love the Bible journaling kits by Dayspring for this purpose. They offer all you need to journal. Turn the noise of the world off, grab your journal, and be still as you journal your thoughts to God.
Unplug.
In this very plugged in world, it almost seems ludicrous to unplug. We think that someone will surely need us or will will certainly miss out on something if we unplug. However, the truth is, being constantly plugged in just causes noise and distraction in our lives. Plan an unplugged day. Shut off all devices like phones, tablets, computers, and tvs. When the noises is off, we are better tuned in to hear God. You can also turn off notifications on your devices. Last summer I turned off all notifications for social media on my phone. The only time my phone alerts me is to a call or text. I had only planned to do this for a couple of weeks, but it was life changing and I will not go back!
Read the Bible.
Get into the Word! Intentionally take time out each day to read the Bible. In addition to specific Bible reading time, leave your Bible open and throughout the day return to read a verse. This is a great way to pause from life and be still for a few moments.
What are other ways you can be still?
It's time for Share A Link Wednesday! Each Wednesday we invite you to leave a link to your latest blog post in the comments. We still desire to connect women of God with one another and encourage each other in Christ. So grab a cup of coffee or glass of sweet tea, sit back and visit a few blogs. Be encouraged and share your own stories.
I'm feeling overwhelmed with all I need to get done today, so your "be still" suggestions are helpful! Thanks for sharing, Jenifer.
ReplyDeleteMy latest post is here on 5 Links, Books, and Things I Love:
https://www.lisanotes.com/links-books-june-2019/
I am learning...learning even though lessons must be repeated to get these precious tools into my habits, but I am grateful that God is patient as I continue to learn. Grateful for your reminder. Instead of bopping myself on the head for lack of following through, I take another lap!!
ReplyDelete@ Being Woven - "Disappointed Again" - https://beingwoven.org/2019/06/03/disappointed-again/
One of those other lessons of repeated laps!! ~ linda
Thanks for sharing. God has taught me a lot about resting and being still. This last week, I featured Connie Albers on my new radio show. She spoke about how to parent teenagers. Here is the link: https://drmichellebengtson.com/hope-and-help-for-how-to-parent-teenagers-episode-7/.
ReplyDeleteMy new post is on being who God created you to be. https://drmichellebengtson.com/be-who-god-created-you-to-be/.
It's so easy to neglect, yet so necessary physically, spiritually, and mentally.
ReplyDeleteThis week I gleaned some thoughts from 1 Peter about what to do while we wait for Christ to return: https://barbarah.wordpress.com/2019/06/03/while-we-wait/
Summer is the season in which the wheels tend to come off all my good routines, so thanks for this post. I'm sharing a collection of insights from Philippians 1 about praying for our adult children: https://michelemorin.wordpress.com/2019/06/04/fruitful-life-heart-of-love/
ReplyDeleteI so enjoyed reading this post this afternoon. This morning as I ran errands, I felt to shut off the music and drive in stillness. Even though the car was yet moving, I felt stilled in my thoughts and heart.
ReplyDeleteMy post today: http://www.joanneviola.com/2019/06/stand-firm-keep-pure-hold-onto-hope/
enjoyed stopping by today. here's my post this week. http://www.switchbacks.org/2019/06/05/encouragement-from-elijah/
ReplyDelete