"Stop striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth." Psalm 46:10 (NASB)
My family used to say I came out of the womb running. Here and there, to and fro, my legs carried me with the speed of lightning. It didn't matter where I was, what I was doing, or where I was going, the pace I lived at was fast, quick, and speedy.
In my teens and early twenties, I had a twelve-color-coded calendar to show for it. In between dance practice, running, college classes, small groups, church, worship team, and three jobs, I didn't know it then, but I was on the fast-access pass to burnout. And in the meantime, I was living for tomorrow without first living for today.
Psalm 46, originally written as a song, reminds us that despite the turmoil we face in this life, God is God, and He's in control. Why does that matter to those of us who are always running? It matters because I want to ask you why you run. Or more specifically, if you're running to or from something.
Many of us, even if we'd rather not admit it, find ourselves busy, frantic, and running most days. We aren't running to something, but we're running from the still, small moments for fear we will miss the big ones. Maybe like me, you're moving at an unsustainable pace because you don't know how to be still. You're afraid of stillness, calm, serene situations—not because you don't want to embrace them, but because you don't know how.
In her new book, The Unplugged Hours, Hannah Brencher pens these words about solitude: "I accepted that I'd forgotten how to sit and do nothing at all. How to wait in silence. How to be—just be—without telling anyone where I was with a picture or a post. Slowly, I'm regaining this ability—and feeling more alive" (page 25).
The world around us has told us how to live. Even for some of the best Christians I know, we're constantly fighting the temptation to do and be more. There are always more home projects, DIY crafts, events to attend, socials to network at, traits to improve, and the list goes on and on. But perhaps one of the things we need most is only found when we hit pause and slow down. We aren't meant to live a life of striving. We're meant to live a life in tune with the Spirit.
In 1 Kings 19:11-13 (NIV), Elijah encountered a mighty wind, followed by a powerful earthquake and a heated fire. But God wasn't in any of those things. God was in the gentle whisper:
"The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave."
Do you struggle to cease running?
Do you struggle to be?
Do you wrestle with stillness and solitude?
You're not alone.
God doesn't ask us to keep running or wearing ourselves out. Most days, He's waiting for us to slow down, listen, and just be in the presence of what surrounds us, where we are, as we are, and as He's called us to be.
Let's Pray:
Dear God, We come to you today with the struggle of being still. We know that you've called us to work hard, but you've also called us to a life of solitude and rest in you. Please remind us that ceaseless striving will get us nowhere if we haven't first found ourselves in you. You are God, you're in control, and you can help us learn to be still. It may be a process, but help us to lay down these struggles one day, hour, minute, and second at a time. The key to feeling alive is found in your presence. Like with Elijah, you're not in the wind, earthquake, or fire. You're in the still, small voice. One that takes time to hear and understand. Help us make room to hear that voice today. We thank you, sweet Lord. We love you and praise you. Amen.
Agape, Amber
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Aaron Burden
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington, Andrea Bocelli, Reba McEntire, Mark Wahlberg, Tony Dungy, and Matthew McConaughey—what do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their stories of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
Originally published Thursday, 19 September 2024.
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