Still

My dad used to tease my mom that she had only two speeds–slow and stopped. Of course, the only time that comment made its way out was when we were all waiting in the car for mom to finish grocery shopping. In reality, my mom is a speedy burrito.

I have two speeds as well–overdrive and hyperdrive.

It doesn’t matter what I’m doing, I’m doing it quickly. I rush to this and to that, from this and that. I pack my days plumb full–and then add a to do list a mile long on top. And then there’s my brain. Even when I get into bed, or watch a movie, or have some other “down” time, my brain is still moving a mile a minute. I worry about this or fret about that, I second guess one thing, and try to untangle another thing.

My mind was reeling last night when I read Psalm 46–and it was going crazy again this morning when I re-read Psalm 46. And then God spoke.

I am God! That’s not going to change, no matter what circumstances you find yourself in. In the toughest day of your life, I am God. In the most spectacular day of your life, I am God. I am God when you don’t see any hope for what you desire–and I am God when your imagination runs away with the possibilities. I am God. Be still and know.

“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

Still: adj 1. Free of sound. 2. Low in sound; hushed or subdued. 3. Not moving or in motion. 4. Free from disturbance, agitation, or commotion. 5. Free from noticeable current: a still pond; still waters

What a thought. What an idea! To be free. Free from noise, from disturbance, from current. To have a mind that is quiet, hushed, subdued. A mind that is not always in motion. A mind free from agitation and commotion. Still. I want a still mind.

What a dream. What a concept! To be free. Free from current, from agitation, from motion. To have a body that is subdued, calm, undisturbed. A body that isn’t constantly fidgiting for some next thing to do. A body that doesn’t slosh about with every current of the to-do list. Still. I want a still body.

Psalm 46:10 suggests that stillness is a choice: “Be still.” It is a command with an understood “You” as the subject. “[You] be still.”

But how can one choose stillness? I’ve certainly tried choosing stillness many times before–and failed every time. I try to clear my mind, but the thoughts just come back. I clear my schedule, but I end up fidgeting to refill it–uncomfortable with the lack of movement that threatens deadness.

Psalm 46:10 offers the answer to this question as well. “Know that I am God.” The implicit message, at least in my mind, is “…and you are not [God].” If I know that God is God and that I am not God, then I can let my mind be still–trusting God to “worry” out the details. If I know that God is God and that I am not God, then I can rest my body–trusting God to “work” out the details.

Still. Know. Rest. Trust. Words I want to characterize my life.

They don’t characterize me yet–but they will. I trust that they will. For now, I’m just learning–learning to KNOW God and to be STILL.