Sit Still

Thoughts Along the Way©

“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

Have you ever told a child to “Sit still”? I certainly did a lot when my kids were young. They could fidget and wiggle with the best and seemed to do much of their practicing when they were in church. Having repeatedly told my children to sit still and listen, you would think that I was an expert at sitting still and listening. This is definitely one of those cases where they should do what I say not what I do. Today I am discovering just how bad I am at sitting still and listening. I have a chronic back problem that I have learned to live with in such a way that I don’t often have pain. Yesterday I managed to “put it out.” I wasn’t doing any of the “bad things” such as vacuuming or lifting heavy boxes. All I did was bend over to dry my feet as I got out of the shower. As a result I have spent almost all of today sitting in a chair with a heating pad on my back. As the pain subsides, I find it harder and harder to stay in the chair. I know that if I start doing too much too fast I will be back in the chair for even longer but even so I want to get up and get doing.

I realize that am no better at sitting still and listening to God than I am at physically sitting still. Mary sat at Jesus feet and listened and learned even though she was aware of the kitchen needs. She chose what was best. This may sound like such an easy decision but the truth in my life is that it is one of the hardest decisions for me to make – to spend time listening to Jesus. When it comes to quiet times, I am quite a motor mouth. I spend time telling God my requests, I even spend time praising Him but to sit and listen is another story.

The problem is not my body but my heart idol of control – I want to be in control of what God does so why should I listen to what He has to say. Maybe it is my lack of faith – I fail to believe that He will actually have something to say to me. Or it could be that I think my time is too precious to spend in silence before God. Whatever my underlying reason(s), it is sin and needs to be dealt with. I need to learn to be still and know God. His is the voice that is the most important – not the one in my head that says I have to keep busy and be productive. His is the relationship that will make all the others succeed. His is the love that brings true contentment and peace – not what I try to manipulate others into giving me. So it comes down to knowing that I should sit still and know God but I don’t succeed. This leads me to repentance and my coming to the cross of Christ because Jesus succeeded for me. As I humbly come to Him, His power and righteousness work into my heart. His success at listening to the Father becomes my success and my success are really His.

Today actually has turned out to be a great blessing as I have been able to spend time with God without dashing off to do for God.

Prayer: Father, my heart is so centered on what I do that I forget that You are interested in me because I am Yours. Forgive me for not spending time sitting at Your feet and learning from You. Create in me a heart that desires You above all else.