Be Still

Anyone else have trouble with this one?  I was thinking about this the other day.  I don't like silence and I don't like to be still.  Now I'll be the first to admit that I can be lazy with the best of them, but I'm not any good at being still with a purpose.

I'm talking about being still with the purpose of trying to listen to God and talk to God and just spend time with Him.  To me to be still is to be silent.  I'm sure it doesn't have to mean that – it can be defined various ways and it looks different to everyone.  I think the reason why it means being silent to me is because I have a hard time with it.

Sure, God speaks to us through music, preaching, talking with friends, reading His word, His creation, etc.  But what about those soft, still moments when you have a time to commune with God.  I’m not sure how many of those I have really had.


I don’t like silence.  I usually fill it up with something.  Usually my filler of choice is music – in fact, I’m listening to music as I type this!  If it’s not the radio, I’ll leave the TV on in the background, or I will fill it by talking out loud.  (I know that is also known as talking to yourself!)  In those rare moments I do find myself sitting in silence my mind is going ninety miles an hour and it is loud enough to fill the space.  I have started reading a lot, but even with reading, my mind is focused on the book and I consider that a form of noise for my brain.


The closest I ever come to really being still is when I am outside enjoying creation.  That truly is when I feel closest to God.  I guess it is because for me, my awe of what God has created turns my mind to Him and I’m able to just sit and enjoy – and sometimes even turn off my mind.


I want to learn how to be still, how to really listen for God.  And I guess, really for this planner, I just want to learn how to turn my brain off, if even for 15 minutes!


How about you?  Do you have a hard time being still, or have you found something that works for you?