‘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.