Fantastic conversation last night with some amazing women of God. The topic: Daily Stillness (from Ann Voskamp's 25 Points Manifesto). Here are some thoughts from the discussion:
There needs to be a difference between taking a break and/or resting, and having stillness. Taking a break can be active, in that you can take a break from cleaning house to check email, or you can go for a jog after completing your accounting. But stillness requires a certain degree of inactivity and quiet. At most, stillness might include a Bible, a journal, some soft music. It is an act of listening, of quieting the mind to a state of contemplative peacefulness.
No doubt, stillness is a challenge for the more "Martha-esque" types. We Marthas need to figure out how to stop the multi-tasking for a moment and silence the constant inner dialogue. We need to recognize our tendency to purposefully distract ourselves in hopes of avoiding stillness and our inclination to fabricate a sense of busyness that excuses our neglectfulness.
Quite simply, stillness is waiting on the Lord. It is shutting up for once and giving Him room to speak. It is actively waiting on God by forcing yourself to be inactive. It is the opposite of busy. The opposite of anxious. The opposite of frenetic. Stillness forces you to face these things in your life and refuses to allow you to stay delusional about who you are and why you're here. But then just when you think that is the point, stillness sweeps in and gives you it's real gift: it gives you the freedom to just Be. It is our snuggle-time with our daddy. Where the worries of the day melt away and we remember we are loved, we are protected, we are cared for.
Go ahead. Be still.
How did I not know about your blog? As for "still". You would think that living alone would naturally bring "stillness". It is quiet, it is still, there is no noise, yet, the stillness needed to become enmeshed with God, so to speak, does not occur as often as I would like. It takes a conscious effort to go to that place... yes, the Bible is where I can find peace, is that the same? I think that is what stillness is to me.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree - you can have silence and not have stillness at all. Stillness is for sure a state of being, which, for this multi-tasking extrovert, is really challenging! I find stillness usually in soft, mellow worship music. Or in sitting outside on a warm afternoon.
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