Be Still

"Be still! What exactly does that mean?" a friend asked me. When my son Matthew was a little boy, well even now, he has a hard time just being still. Even when he appears still, he is still running inside. I am much like that. My husband, Joey, will say, "A penny for your thoughts." Something always going on. I want to be still. Again, what does it mean to "be still?"

Being the person that I am, even in the midst of desperation and frustration, I always feel some kind of moral obligation to at least try to speak into the lives of those around me in hope of FIXing things. I realize later that I probably went to far because I just get carried away, talking. When I was not speaking, I was thinking about what I was going to say. In my own case I try to talk my way through, most of the time unsuccessfully. Some would say, I was born this way... you know what I mean? Maybe this is a better picture of how it looks. Not to offend my sisterhood who are not this way.



Obviously, this is NOT an example of being still. Do you think that God might look on us much as this daddy looks at his baby and just laughs. We just do not get it. I mean we have a Father in Heaven who knows our every need and orchestrates our lives. I do not know about you but many times I live my life as one who does not know and understand that.

Once, when I was wrestling with something in my life, God in His audible, firm but Fatherly way said, "Patsy, Be still, and Know that I AM GOD." Actually, it was like he took His giant hands and pulled me up into His arms to cuddle His hurting child, and to say, "I can handle it." I just went with it and curled into the back of the recliner and wept. What a wonder feeling to cuddle in the arms of Jehovah God.

To prove a point. Do a little experiment. Just close your eyes and cast everything aside, crawling up in God's arms with nothing but an empty slate. Check the clock. Concentrate on staying there. When your concentration breaks. Check time again.

How long did you stay there without fidgeting, getting up to do something or thinking about doing something that needs to be done? 30 seconds, 2 minutes.....Work at spending more and more time doing this. I believe that this is what it means to meditate.

There is an English proverb that states, "Idle hands are the devils workshop." In contrast it is the opposite, if our hands and minds are never quiet enough that we can see, hear, and feel God then we can certainly come under the influence of Satan. Satan will use anything and everything to distract us even things that are in themselves good.

How well do you listen? My husband and son both remind me, "Just let me talk." I do it all the time....I do not really mean to. I just find myself breaking in on a conversation even to dominate it, sometimes. (I am working on that) When someone is talking, I find myself thinking how I will respond instead of listening. (working on that too.)

Be Still and Know God... just that....for me...."Sit down, shut up, and listen up"and let God cuddle you in His arms. It might look something like this.

How do you interpret...."Be Still?" Would love to hear from you.