Monday, November 8, 2010

Meandering Mondays II - On Being Still

For when I feel lonely, scared and frustrated, the verse from Psalms 46 vs. 10 (NIV) always comforts me. I hear Him whispering, soothing a balm over my worries:
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
            It is very easy to yearn and plead for peace… to desire stillness when your soul is in turmoil… disquiet. It is like falling from prince-hood. You look back and reflect on the days when servants beckoned to your every whim and wish. You wish you never took that lavishness for granted and pray for the current clouds to be lifted off.
            But how about when there is peace? How do I keep still when I’m not lonely or scared or frustrated?
            Maybe the state of not feeling so is a façade. There is always something to fight through, something that requires peace. Even so, how do I keep still?
            A few months back, I was going through something that required me to “Be still”. For me, that meant not worrying… not over-analyzing… not crying… learning to smile from the heart even though all I wanted to do was scream.
            A few years ago, I went through something that also required me to “Be still”. That meant, laughing even when they jeered. That meant answering boldly even when questioned. That meant, actually sitting still and waiting in patience because of a fact, my paved future isn’t mine to design.
            And now, there are things I could have sleepless nights over… things I could ponder over… things that the old me would refuse a drink of water over… and at times, my old self does fight to re-emerge to worry, and yet, all I hear is “Be still”. So if I’m not actively worrying or crying or frowning, am I not being still?
            A new kind of stillness is beckoning, one that involves more than not just NOT worrying or crying or frowning. A new kind of stillness where I actively seek out being away from myself, rather than focusing on my ego-centered problems. A new kind of stillness where I spend time with community, people I want to know more, people I want to learn about… this kind of stillness where I see Him work not only in my life but also in the life of others and in the artifacts of redeemed and wholesome relationships. A new kind of stillness where I flippantly allow him to change this self-acclaimed recovering introverted sinner into a healed wholesome continuously redeemed lover of her savior. A new kind of stillness where it isn’t love just spoken or written about but lived out and acted out. A new kind of stillness that involves stretching at the same time.
            Who knew being still could mean being active in Him?
            I want to challenge you to look and perhaps share on ways you have been called to be still before God.
            Have a great Monday – this is a week of beautiful continuation J
           

5 comments:

  1. Wow, I never thought of being still in that way...helping others instead of focusing on one's own issues...

    I've found myself doing that as late...being a shoulder to lean on...being there to listen while someone pours their heart out to u goes a long way...and knowing that you've helped someone else even though you have you're own million and one issues...is priceless!

    Thanks for sharing Mwajim! That was divine revelation right there!

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  2. This was one touching post dear..
    Being still..
    How can I be still and know that I am still?
    Is there a consciousness that recognizes that?
    How can you not let circumstances overwhelm you before you remember to be still?

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  3. Wow... Me love this!
    Be still and know! "Truly, its about been still and active in Him".

    God bless you Mwajim Al.

    - LDP

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  4. I so love this post cos it shows how multi-faceted God is, how one word can mean this to someone and this to someone else, or how what meant A today can mean B tomoro. For me, being still right now means embracing the season that i am and enjoying it while still pressing towards the next phase, rather than being so caught up with how much I wanna leave this place. Truth is, even when i get to the next phase, there would still be something higher, so the earlier i learn to live and enjoy the moment, the better :)

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  5. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I love your current method of Being Still right now, that process always gives me a reality check on knowing that I need to appreciate any current circumstance - Its like slowing down to smell the roses :D

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