How To Be Still

“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 NKJV).

Meditation is popular in the self-help world today. And I can see why.

Our world is particularly busy. There are countless agencies, businesses, individuals, etc., who want your attention. Our minds are always racing and always distracted.

It’s hard to be still.

Modern meditation tries to grow your ability to be comfortable with being still. But its only purpose is to empty your mind so that you can be still and only be still.

It is good to be still. It’s good to sit without fidgeting, smartphoning, socialmediaing, chewing your nails, bouncing your leg, etc. Those who are always chasing distractions are easier to control. But the freeman can be still. And those who can be still are better at making thoughtful decisions.

But you should be still and know that God is God. Not only that He is God now, but that His “exaltation among the nations” has been growing and growing ever since Jesus Christ completed His work and ascended into heaven.

His exaltation will grow even “in the whole earth.”

I spend 20 minutes most mornings in prayer. I set a timer and then pray through certain thanksgivings, petitions, and verses. I usually finish my prayers before the timer is up and then I spend the rest of the time being still and knowing that God is God.

It has taken me time to get up to 20 minutes, and right now I’m not sure that I’ll ever get beyond 20 minutes. But I sometimes think about Martin Luther.

“If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer.” ~Martin Luther

That quote blows my mind. Luther would spend two hours a day in prayer. Unless it was particularly busy day, then instead of praying less, he would pray more. A whole extra hour more!

Be still. Stop your modern meditation practice. Start praying, so that you can be still and know that God is God.

What do you think?
Joseph