Stillness by Elisabeth Elliot"Stillness. Perfect stillness. It is a very great gift, not always available to those who would most appreciate it and would find joy in it, and often not appreciated by those who have it but are uncomfortable with it.
I think it is possible to learn stillness--but only if it is seriously sought. God tells us, "Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10, NIV). "In quietness and confidence shall be your strength" (Isaiah 30:15, KJV).
The stillness in which we find God is not superficial, a mere absence of fidgeting or talking. It is a deliberate and quiet attentiveness--receptive, alert, ready. I think of what Jim Elliot wrote in his Journal: "Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God."
This is not so difficult, perhaps, for a sports fan, eyes riveted on the game. For me, however, this quietness in the presence of God, this being "all there" for Him, though I treasure it and long for it, is not easy to maintain, even in the beautiful place where I live. I am easily distracted, more so, it seems, as soon as I try to focus on God Himself and nothing else. Why should this be?"
Elliot then quotes C.S. Lewis as saying a main reason for this being difficult is because of all the noise going on in the world. People are uncomfortable with silence. Lewis references noise as a grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless and virile.
I know for myself I am often quick to move on when I’ve been in silence for too long and am not hearing anything. But part of being still is waiting. The psalms tell us to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him”. I have to remind myself that silence is a form of worship. Silence is a way to honor God. Even in heaven when the seventh seal was broken there was silence for a brief time. With such a world full of noise we have to be intentional about being still and getting comfortable with silence. It’s a perfect time to be still before him and trust Him to know the perplexities of our hearts that even we can’t put into words. As I was reading Elliot’s words above, I was reminded about the story of Samuel. It was in the stillness of the night that the Lord spoke to Samuel and then when he kept going to Eli thinking he had been the one calling him, Eli told him to go lie back down and wait for the Lord to speak to him. Then Samuel said to God, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Being still before the Lord is a constant area I am trying to grow in and with His help and by His grace it is possible. I know I’ve posted the lyrics to the following song before, but I often read these words to help inform my heart and it always gives me fresh excitement for being “still”.
The more I get alone, The more I see I need to get alone more, Cause just when I think that I'm alone, Your Spirit calls out to me, And even silence has a song, Cause that's when you come, Sing over me
Still, let me be still, Let me be OK, With the quiet in my heart, Still, I want to be still, I'm so quick to move, Instead of listening to you, Shut my mouth, Crush my pride, Give me the tears, Of a broken life, Still
Oh this world, it falls around me, And flutters all it's beauty in my eyes, But let me choose the solitude, Simplicity has always simply changed my life, Cause even stillness makes me move, Cause that's when my heart, Learns to dance with you
Still, let me be still, Let me be OK, With the quiet in my heart, Still, I want to be still, I'm so quick to move, Instead of listening to you, I'm your child, Tame my heart, Obedience To me impart, Still
Hold me, Cleanse me, Change me, Oh God, Change me while I am, Still, let me be still, And know that you are God, And you are always enough, Still, I want to be still, To take all that I am, And simply lift it up
No comments:
Post a Comment