“Be still, and know that I am God”—Psalm 46:10(NIRV).
Do you ever feel guilty about resting? I do. Maybe that’s because my mother was always “doing.” And, my sister and I became “doers” too.
It’s hard to stop and just “be” when you’re expected to be in constant motion. However, as a child, I can recall spending time outdoors doing nothing. To me, nothing meant climbing as high as possible into the branches of a Mimosa tree where I could hide behind the lacy branches and enjoy listening to nature. While I probably didn’t understand it at the time, I was just “being” with God.
I also loved lying on my back in the clover, watching the clouds and trying to assign a form to the shapes that passed overhead. Was I resting? Yes. Was I doing? Nope. I was just “being” in God’s presence.
As an adult, faced with a career, raising children and “doing” everything expected of me, I was caught up in a whirlwind of busyness. Like others, I wore it like a badge of honor.
In our “addicted to busyness” society, it’s difficult to just “be” in His presence if we don’t make it a habit—a good habit, that is. In today’s world, there are more distractions than ever before. Growing up in the 50s and 60s, we didn’t have as many choices to occupy our time. Now, it seems like everyone’s nose is glued to a tech gadget, whether it’s a smart phone, a tablet or some other electronic device.
But when we choose the love of money, media and entertainment, careers, relationships and hobbies over time with God, they become roadblocks to intimacy with Him. If we’re overly occupied or addicted to “doing,” we have no time to just “be” with Him.
Why is just “being” with God important? Not only does it give our bodies time to recharge, it helps us to focus on Him and His plans for our lives. Now that I’m in the beginning of my seventh decade, I am even more aware of the passing of time and the need to use my time wisely. Instead of striving so much to accomplish all I want to, I’ve learned to spend more time in the presence of Jesus to seek His direction.
I’ve also learned to be more flexible about my plans for the day. If my day is interrupted by unexpected events or people, I don’t come unglued. I just ditch my plans when Jesus shows up. What do I mean?
We can have a list of items we want to accomplish before the end of each day. If the list is long, we remain on a fast treadmill that never seems to slow down. However, if we are open to interruptions—what I call God moments—we learn to just “be.”
If you find yourself constantly “doing,” maybe it’s time to let go of the fast-paced insanity and frustrations and let Jesus have your day planner.
How can we know God if we don’t take time to just “be” in His presence?