Be still

‘be still’

Since I decided to really explore what it means to ‘be still,’ I have discovered one very important thing: it isn’t about forcing your mind not to think about worldly things when you spend time with God. In my experience, trying to force your mind to do one thing makes it do just the opposite. It’s about using those things to increase your focus on God. In writing what’s on my mind in my prayer journal, and keeping these things at the fore when reading my Bible, I’m able to use the things keeping me from God to draw myself closer to Him instead. Whilst many thoughts may swarm around the outskirts of your mind, keeping the central part as ‘God’ allows you to direct your orbit of thoughts towards this stillness (I’m not a physicist, and I’m guessing that is far from a perfect analogy, but oh well). So, in times where our minds are consumed with all kinds of concerns, try to keep steady your central focus on God. Take these distractions to Him not with embarrassment but with honesty, and, like me, you may find that the stillness of your central focus helps bring you closer to the true stillness that is to be found in the comfort of a relationship with God.

As we look to tomorrow

As we look to tomorrow…..

As we look to tomorrow,

let us today embrace the past

with remembrance and

the future with longing.

Let us face our future with confidence

and hope, daring to stay open

to whatever today or tomorrow will offer;

daring to go fearlessly into things without knowing how they will turn out,

daring to keep on going, even when something doesn’t work for the first time.

Let us pray that we may travel into our future with a trust

that enables us to put our hand into the hand of God,

confident that it will be better than a light,

and safer than a known way.

Come into my land

COME INTO MY LAND

Come to Me for all that you desire. Look for Me in all that is. See Me in all that is present. Expect My presence in all that is coming.

Do you fear My presence? Do you run from Me? Do you avoid involvement with My Spirit?

Place your avoidant behavior aside

and come into My presence. See My hand and how it welcomes and guides your path. Trust its guidance and submit to its directions for you.

Do you await signs and symbols? Does your blindness to these cause doubt?

Listen and hear Me. Look and see My direction for you. Trust and know that I am with you.

If this is true, then what question, doubt, or fear should remain with you? If this is true, then what path do you follow?