Be Still?

Thought for the Day:  Psalm 46:10 “He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

      Today as I was walking at our local Rec Center, I decided to listen to a few pre-recorded messages by various teachers on my iPhone instead of listening to music.  The main theme of the broadcasts centered on our need to take a few minutes and pause from our busy schedules.  Among the discussions I kept hearing the phrase, be still.  Even after all these years of being a busy wife, mom, teacher and now retired wife, mom, speaker, teacher and gramma, there has been and always will be a need to simply be still.  Many ask how is that accomplished with all the hustle and bustle of life swirling around us at an ever-increasing pace?  My answer, and I guess it comes with age and experience, write out your daily schedule and then subtract items that don’t necessarily need to be accomplished in the next 24 hours.  There is always tomorrow for those pressing “to dos.”
      I learned as a child and have kept the rhythm as an adult, don’t leave God in the dust when planning that daily schedule.  Increasingly, the world is trying to impress upon our hearts that we drive our schedules, our lives, our businesses, our lifestyles, our families and the need for a God that doesn’t seem to answer prayers when called upon…well, why waste time that you don’t have trying to pray or picking up a Bible when reading is totally out of the question.  The plumb line for life is simple, just let the world dictate your direction by looking at stats, informational articles or books written by those who don’t have an ounce of God in their daily lives. And actually that “be still” phase, maybe it happens as you soak in a hot tub, hit the sofa after putting the kids to bed or possibly while you are breathing in the fresh air and sunshine at a beach.  Don't get me wrong, those resting times are important, but they can't replace time with God.
     Being still usually doesn't rank with spending a few minutes a day with the God who created you, loves you and has blessed you with every possible convenience, because He didn’t do it, you did, right?  You went to college or a training program, worked hard, made the sacrifices to get that degree.  God didn’t have anything to do with it, right?  
     It took ten years part time and full time for me to finish my undergraduate degree in Education. It was a difficult process.  We had two children, I was home caring for them in the day, my husband worked diligently at his job and often traveled and we had no family close by to help with babysitting, but we got it done.  Would I ever say God wasn’t a big part of that success, that it was all hubby and me?  Absolutely not.  God gave me the desire, the courage and the fortitude to continue when I wanted desperately to quit and walk away from all the class assignments, exams and travel time.
     God blessed me with the ability to learn, to study, to see what this degree would mean to our little family and kept me looking forward.  The Holy Spirit that lives inside me can never be dismissed.  It’s a power that has to be experienced in order to realize its potency.  In order to truly experience how to be still, you need to discount yourself and put Christ into the driver’s seat.  His influence, power, energy and peace will bless you with the ultimate in being still.  It’s a time out with the Master.
                             Blessings,
                       The Sounding Board Ministry
  

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