Stillness & Busyness

When the Israelites were facing an unfathomable amount of stress, what did God command them to do? 

Be still and know that He is God.  

When the waters in front of them and the army behind them were closing in, they were instructed to stay calm and have faith.  

I believe that this key command from God in a highly intense situation can be ‘cut and paste’ into our everyday lives too. When the tasks are mounting up and the email inbox is overflowing – be still. This may sound trite and very easy to say rather than actually do but think about it. 

If we paused in the busyness of our weeks to sabbath and be still, it is a profound act of trust in God, isn’t it? 

When we decide that we are not going to be dictated to by our to do lists but are going to look up and know that He is God. When we realise that He can accomplish far more than we can when we obey him and the commandment to rest one day a week, than if we toiled and strived through that one extra day. When we do these things, we are putting our activity in our Creator’s hands and honouring Him with our most precious possession – our very lives.  

Busyness is not a badge of honour to be held up and gloated over. It is necessary at times but by no means a way of life. May stillness and rest be the basepoint that we operate from, knowing that God is God and that He is in control, and He is good.    

He says, “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 NIV) 

Questions: 

1. How does the concept of stillness align with the biblical teachings on prayer, meditation, and listening to God? In what ways does cultivating moments of stillness in our lives contribute to our spiritual growth and understanding of God’s will?  
2. In a world that often glorifies busyness and productivity, how can we find a balance between being industrious and embracing moments of quietness and reflection? How does Jesus’s example of withdrawing to solitary places for prayer inform our approach to balancing busyness and stillness in our lives?  
3. Reflecting on Psalm 46:10 (“Be still, and know that I am God”), how can practicing stillness enhance our awareness of God’s presence and deepen our faith? What practical steps can we take to prioritise stillness amidst the distractions and demands of our daily routines as Christians?