Behold the Stillness:Dwelling in the Quiet Spaces
The noise of the world and its holiday season can be overwhelming to so many of us. There are so many to-do lists and thoughts running through our mind. It can be hard to keep up. Do you ever feel like the noise around you drowns out your ability to hear God’s voice?
If you feel overwhelmed today, there’s good news. You are not alone in this. There is another way for us. Stillness can become the antitode we despearately need to combat our overwhelming souls.
The Call to Be Still
Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”
The interesting part of this is the language of the Psalm. The majority of this Psalm is written in third person until we get to verse 10. It changes to first person. “Psalm 46:10 is rich in meaning, offering a powerful message of trust, surrender, and recognition of God's sovereignty (Poor).” Let's break down the key words in this verse to better understand their significance and how they relate to the broader meaning of the passage.
The Hebrew word for ‘be still’ is “Rapha.” It means “to sink down, relax, let go, cease striving, or withdraw.” It means to stop fighting and trust God. We talk alot about waiting and remaining. But, in some ways, we define this in the wrong way. We get confused about this. However, this scripture does not express stillness as inactivity. But it is about intentional trust in God’s sovereignty. This urges us to stop our striving and to rest in God's presence. It is a call to quiet our minds and hearts, making space for God to speak, move, and work in our lives. Being still allows us to let go of our anxieties, worries, and efforts to control our situation, and instead seek God's will and trust in His care.
To "know" in this passage means more than just intellectual understanding; it implies an intimate, personal knowledge of God that comes from a deep relationship with Him. By being still, we create the space to know God intimately and to grow deeply in our relationship with Him (Poor).
One example of this stillness is when Jesus calms the storm. The disciples were fighting the waves desperately trying to save themselves. But all they had to do was be still, surrender their efforts, and look at the One who could calm the storm with just a few words. Jeffrey Curtis Poor quotes, “When we are in times of conflict we don’t need to fight and carry the burden ourselves. He is stronger than the storm we are facing and when we place our trust in him he will lead us through. Therefore, we can cease fighting and instead look to God. In summary, Psalm 46:10 encourages us to embrace stillness in order to find peace and clarity in our relationship with God.”
Stillness can be a really good thing. It can be super helpful for us in the Advent season. Advent literally means “arrival.” But the Advent season represents a season of waiting. The Advent season can also represent a season of attentiveness. The Archdiocese of Dublin says, “We wait in a spirit of calm expectation, with our eyes wide open in gentle alertness, for the unfolding of the gifts that Jesus has prepared for us.” When we embrace the stillness and attentiveness of Advent, we begin to notice the presence of Jesus all around us. The practice of stillness does not come without its challenges and obstacles.
The Challenge of Stillness
Stillness can be a challenging thing to access in our very busy lives. Whether you are a mom of three, or a young student, you can have a difficult time to find some quiet. This world has caused us to live in chaos and routines and to do lists. We are always running to the very next thing. It makes this idea of stillness a little difficult to comprehend.
But here’s the thing: stillness is more than a practice—it’s a discipline. It means that it is going to take some time to establish this in our routine. When we embrace stillness, it can become a gift in our lives. It’s a gift rather than a chore, a time to simply be with God.
The call to stillness helps us to stay centered and remain focused. Psalm 46:10 challenges us to be still and place our trust in God. It’s a command to take time to pause and reflect so that we can remind ourselves that God is in control.
Practical Application: Creating Quiet Moments
How can you create quiet moments in your life? What does it look like to create quiet moments in our everyday moments? What would it mean for you to fix your eyes on Jesus in this season? If you have been around here for a while, you know I like to provide you with a spiritual habit to place into practice. This week, let’s create quiet moments in our everyday lives. This may feel a little frightening to you. Take your time with this. Be gracious to yourself. Know that this is a practice and a discipline and no one expects you to get it right or do it perfectly.
Start with 5 minutes of quiet. Find a place to start just sitting in the quiet with God. Here are some simple actionable steps to begin cultivating stillness:
Choose a consistent time and place to sit quietly with God.
Focus on a single word or phrase, such as “peace” or “Come, Lord Jesus.”
Let go of expectations—simply dwell in God’s presence.
Reflection
Where in your life are you craving stillness?
What would it look like to intentionally create space for stillness with God?
How might stillness transform your view of the holiday season?
Finding God in the Quiet
Stillness is not about achieving something but about resting in the presence of God.
Lord, help me to slow down and embrace stillness in my life. Teach me to recognize Your presence in the quiet moments and to trust in Your sovereignty.