Do you find it difficult to stay grounded in the busyness and the noise of life?
I find that I am easily distracted by the myriad of opportunities to take my eyes off Jesus and put them on literally anywhere else. It seems so much easier to check out mentally, physically, and spiritually–feeling so overwhelmed by the constant chaotic busyness–than to make any effort to BE STILL, to be mindful, or to meditate on the TRUTH, the WAY, and the LIFE. Instead, I tell myself that I’m too busy, or too tired, or that I’m simply too responsible for a whole bunch of important stuff to BE STILL.
But I have really, really, really good news for me (and for you). The truth is that God is with us, helping us, and caring for us, even when we don’t understand that we do, in fact, have the time to BE STILL and to listen to His voice. The fact is that He asks us to BE STILL because He loves us so deeply and perfectly that He wants us to actually perceive His presence and the spiritual blessings He gives us! This, in turn, strengthens our connection to the Spirit of God and we thrive. We grow. We abide. We learn to listen to His voice and to follow His lead.
So, in asking us to BE STILL, He invites us to know Him, to give Him our burdens, and to experience the joy of being loved and accepted by the only ONE who can actually love us perfectly.
(Wow! How awesome is that?)
While there are many spiritual practices that train us to BE STILL in God’s presence, one of the most transformative practices for me has been meditating on the Psalms. Psalms are quite literally “praises,” or “songs of praise.” When we meditate on the worthiness of God and His Words to us (His praises), we gain wisdom and understanding for viewing Him, ourselves, and others from His perspective. He then quiets the noise, the lies, and the distractions with the truth of His Word, and the beauty of His Love. It’s so comforting and so healing.
I want to challenge you to turn your mind toward God’s Words, to think about them often, and to take those thoughts to Him. Ask Him your questions! Tell Him your thoughts about the things you don’t understand. Give Him your cares. Then, just BE STILL. The Holy Spirit will teach you; He will fill you with wisdom and understanding from His Word. Let the truth of God’s Word sink deep into your heart and your body, so that you can experience all the spiritual blessings the Father has for you!
Over the course of the next few months, I hope to offer you a meditation on each of the 150 Psalms. It will be a collaborative effort, and I am so hopeful and excited for the insights and encouragements that will come from us meditating on Scripture together. I know we will blessed by taking the time to meditate, to BE STILL, and to listen to what God has to say to us through His Word!
Feel free to follow along with us on social media as we encourage each other with the insights we share from the Psalms!
Beautiful Balance 