Stillness

…“In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.”…  

(Isaiah 30:13, NKJV)

Not too long ago, I listened to someone talk of ‘overstimulation’.  I understood this to refer to a state where one is taking in too much information, so that the brain struggles to process it.  In our world today, there are different elements that could over stimulate our brains causing us to feel stressed.  It could be the flashing of bright light as happens in festivals, loud uncontrolled noise which goes on for long, digital engagements like constant social media feeds and of course 24/7 endless online news.  If we are over exposed to these situations, then we would be likely to feel overwhelmed, fatigued, emotionally drained and some say, even suffer brain fog.  Even without understanding the above, we could easily find ourselves in these situations, as we make effort to take in all that the world around us offers.  I confess that I have frustratingly found myself in such spaces. It is said that to avoid the stress of overstimulation, one needs to step away from the environment they are exposed to, so that they allow their brains a rest.

As I reflected on our reference verse above, I understood that God calls us out to a quiet space, a place where we find His rest and strength.  When we are constantly running up and down, our physical bodies and minds get exhausted and we desire rest.  Unfortunately, when we are very tired even sleep does not give us full rest.  Some of us are busy solving problems in the night and our dreams simply replay the happenings of the day.  When this happens, we still wake up tired, sleep did not give us rest.  Beloved, allow me to suggest that the rest we need has to be deliberately sought for.  It seems to me that we need to consciously close out the world around us, so that we get in tune with the Holy Spirit of God who dwells within us.  This is the rest that we are to return to, a place of quiet surrender to one who is more than we are, one who gives us His strength. 

The bible has various mentions of the need to be quiet and yes, many of us talk of quiet times with God as powerful moments of refreshing.  The happenings of life do not accord us this time freely, we have to intentionally create these moments.  These are the times that the Lord speaks to us, renews our strength and resets our hearts towards Him.  Prophet Habakkuk reminds us that when we seek God in His temple, the earth has to keep silent before Him (Habakkuk 2:10).  The psalmist teaches us over and over again, that our hearts need to wait on God alone, waiting silently (Psalm 62:1), imploring us to still our hearts with the knowledge that He alone is God (Psalm 46:10).  In another verse, we learn that to God, silence is praise (Psalm 65:1).  This made me stop, that God counts our silence before Him as praise.  It is the surrender and focus on Him alone that He desires to find in us, which we present to Him in silence.  When prophet Elijah was seeking for God desperately, he witnessed a strong wind that split the mountains and rocks in pieces, an earthquake and a fire, but in all this, the Lord was not found.  God came to him in a quiet small voice, in silence and stillness is where he heard the voice of God (1 Kings 19:11-12).  It took a stillness to hear the whisper of God in his circumstances.  Beloved, you might be feeling overwhelmed by all what is happening around you, may you find a place to be still in His presence. It is good that we wait quietly for the salvation of our God (Lamentations 3:26).  In the midst of all that we hear and engage in, may we be those who find our strength and rest in silence before God.  May we be those who present our stillness before Him as praise.

Thoughts:

What is overstimulating your mind and heart?

Where have you felt overwhelmed?

How have you quieted your soul before the Lord of lords?