The Stillness Challenge

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

We live in a world full of distractions and noise. It seems we are constantly on task, trying to cram as much into 24 hours as we can. Even when it is time to sit, we often surround ourselves with noise: TV, radio, iPods; we even invented a genre of music for elevators! Even if we can avoid noise, we can lose ourselves in a book, the internet or magazines.

This past weekend, I was on a youth retreat with 15 teens from my church. We were in a rural setting enjoying outdoor activities and some amazing time with God. Two of the exercises we did involved being quiet and still. One of them as our solo time with God where we could read, pray, meditate or reflect. During that time, there was no noise – no talking, no music – just a quiet time with God. It was very refreshing. The other exercise involved just listening to God; it was something a little different than I had ever done, and it took completely clearing my mind – pushing out every thought – to fully focus on God.

Sometimes, we just need to be still. The world around us is filled with modern conveniences, yet somehow we seem to be as busy as ever. We don’t find the time to just be still. I know I get a little antsy if I am not doing something, whether it is important or not. Just being still is not something I do well at all. It is important, though; the Bible has many references to God giving rest and renewing our strength by tapping into His power.

Let’s try something. For the next 21 days, let’s commit to being still for at least 10 minutes a day. Just clear our heads and listen to God. You may already do this, but if not, give it a try. Find 10 minutes where you can be in silence, with no distractions around you. Maybe you can do it at the end of your normal prayer/devotional time, and just be still and listen for the last portion of that time. Give God your undivided attention – no books, music or anything else; just be still and listen. You may start the time by asking God a specific question or simply telling Him you want to hear what He has to say to you. After that, just clear your mind, pushing aside all other thoughts and listen to Him. It may be a good idea to keep a journal or notebook nearby so you can write down what He tells you, and if you can, wait until you are done to write it down.

I would love to hear about your experience, and I will write about mine after I complete the three weeks.