SCRIPTURE PROMPT
Walk Through Your Battles with the Power of Stillness
The spiritual discipline of stillness, defying cultural norms, and overcoming the urge to constantly be productive
“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, NIV)
Psalm 46:10 has been a favorite of mine since God grabbed me by the shoulders and said: Sit still and slow down.
I believe that in order to hear God’s voice and see his provision, we must be willing to be still. This is why I nominated this verse for a Koinonia scripture prompt. Thank you, Julie Ranson, for selecting it and allowing me to write about it.
I used to have a hard time being still. I was a Mary on the inside, craving Christ’s presence and spirit in my life, devoting myself to his word and prayer, but I was a Martha on the outside, worshipping at the altar of productivity.
Driven by the need to perform for approval, perfectionism ruled my life. And what a taskmaster she was. I say she because she was me. My inner critic, always shaming me, criticizing me, and driving me.
Eventually, I broke, and despite the anxiety that screamed inside to keep going, I couldn’t. I didn’t want that life of grasping the wind anymore. I didn’t want the pat on the back, the praises of men that never satisfied.
I stopped caring about gold stars and promotions. I wanted relief from the noise. I wanted rest. I wanted to be still.
“Maybe one of these days I’ll be able to give myself a gold star for being ordinary, and maybe one of these days I’ll give myself a gold star for being extraordinary — for persisting. And maybe one day I won’t need to have a star at all.” — Sue Bender
God’s best usually comes to us when we’re completely helpless to help ourselves
Elijah was exhausted from running for his life. God ministered to him with food and rest and taught him to listen for the still, small voice.
Moses and the children of Israel were trapped between an army and a sea. God easily lifted the waters away and allowed them to walk — simply walk — their way to safety and victory.
Do you feel like you have to fight every battle presented to you, whether between relatives, social media, or the battle in your own heart?
Have you ever tried being still in the midst of a storm? It's counterintuitive, I know. My inclination is to do something.
It takes great self-control for me to do nothing, to be still, and simply know that God’s got this.
It’s God who gives us the strength to be still
When God first told me to sit still, trust, and learn to rest in his presence, I thought he was asking for the impossible of me.
But God I’m a doer, a fixer, you created me that way!
Then I read Philippians 4:13 with fresh eyes.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. — (Phillippians 4:13, NKJV)
My do-er mentality had always interpreted that verse as meaning I can DO all things: take action, get it done, make it happen.
Then I realized that verse could also enable me to obey Psalm 46:10. I can do all things through Christ.
Even be still.
I could learn to be still because Christ would give me the strength to do so.
Being still defeats the enemy and the culture
Being still is a great act of rebellion. It’s countercultural. We’re bombarded with the message to do, not be.
Stillness may be misconstrued as laziness or a lack of drive. Gasp, horror—we wouldn’t want that.
Stillness could be interpreted as apathy. Hush, don’t say it. You’ve heard the sermons: take the land, stand firm, battle the enemy.
Stillness will reveal our heart and its true condition, and that’s what we shy away from most of all. If I can just keep going, stay busy, and do things for God, I don’t have to face the emptiness, the trauma, the fear, or the true calling.
It takes great spiritual discipline for me to be still. Yet, I know my strength comes from this act of obedience.
Listen, there’s nothing wrong with being a doer. The error comes when we rely on this gift as our strength. Our strength is only in the Lord, and our doing is only a strength when fully surrendered to God’s spirit.
Stillness is not for the faint of heart but the only way to know that he is God.
Mary Gallagher teaches women how to declutter to make room for what matters. She founded The Decluttered Soul, a thriving Facebook community and membership. After decades of striving, she’s finally found her peaceful, decluttered writing space in a tiny home in the White Mountains of Arizona where the elk sleep under the Milky Way in her backyard.