Be still, and know that I am God. (Psalm 46:10)
Does the world seem to be speeding up, keeping you in a whirlwind of activity? Even if you do take a break, is your mind constantly distracted? Our generation has embraced technology like no other generation, and while this can have a positive influence in our lives, it can also be very detrimental.
I’ve noticed that whenever I take a break, I often pick up my iPad to check my e-mail, catch up with friends on Facebook or even play a game of solitaire. My mind seems to need constant stimulation—a documented, scientific danger of our media-absorbed society. When I try to read the Word, my mind wanders. When I try to pray, my mind flits and flirts with a million thoughts. STILLNESS ELUDES ME!
Recently, I was reading a daily devotion from Streams in the Desert, and the phrase the power of stillness jumped out at me: “Is there anything that can touch our hearts like the power of stillness? Deep within the center of our soul is a chamber of peace where God lives, and where, if we will enter it and quiet all the other sounds, we can hear his gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:12)
“Even in the fastest wheel that is turning, if you look at the center, where the axle is found, there is no movement of all. And even in the busiest life, there is a place where we may dwell alone with God in eternal stillness.”
No other season of the year is busier than the Christmas season. While Christmas is meant to bring us God’s gift of PEACE and JOY, we can’t receive it if we don’t quiet our hearts and minds enough to allow God to be in the center of our lives (the axle of the wheel).
I’m challenging myself, and you, to take time during this Advent season to experience the power of stillness. Take time to listen to the words of Christmas carols. Read the Christmas story and ponder its meaning in your life. Set aside time to pray and listen for God’s still, small voice.
This Christmas season may you discover a new gift–the power of stillness.
