The Power of Stillness
What She Said - Part 6
Keri Papili, Guest Writer
Today’s Treasure
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
Exodus 14:14
We’re halfway through the week and it’s around this time that I start looking forward to the weekend.
Not because I don’t enjoy my job or the weekdays aren’t fun. I simply look forward to the weekend because it’s my time to unwind. The alarm clock doesn’t shake me awake. My coffee is brewed and enjoyed without rushed sips. The days are free of commitments.
But today is not the weekend. Today we’re in the middle of the hustle, the busyness, the list of to-dos. We’re going, going, going. In the midst of it all, we’re trying to be intentional and mindful of the new things God is doing in our lives every day.
If we’re not careful, we’ll rush right by the small joys hidden in the mundane.
I’m going to be honest: I’m not one to be still. I hate sitting in silence and doing nothing. I feel like I’m wasting my time.
But it’s not at all a coincidence that I chose today to focus on stillness and rest. God calls us to be still. Even though it may be uncomfortable, He commands us to take a moment and step back, to stop moving, stop talking, stop acting, and just be.
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
A time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak.
Ecclesiastes 3:7
For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.
Psalm 62:5
So today, I’m reminding us both.
Be still.
Put down your phone and look up and around you, intentionally quieting your mind to soak it all in.
Converse without trying to rush the conversation forward. Sip your coffee without scrolling your phone or making a to-do list.
Be still.
The days, weeks, and years fly by in a whirlwind. Let today be a moment of stillness in a world that’s constantly changing, constantly moving, constantly constant.
LIFE-GIVING ENCOURAGEMENT
I read a page in a devotional book the other day, and a quote stuck out to me. “Your rest is not to be found in figuring out your life but in trusting the One who has it all figured out for your good and His glory.” -- Paul David Tripp, New Morning Mercies.
So today, be still. Fully rest. Do not think about all that needs to be done or all that’s coming. Instead, rest in the fact that God has it all figured out and His mercies are new every morning.
In the loudness of your thoughts, be still.
In the worry of the unknown, be still.
In the midst of your to-do lists and packed calendars, be still.
In the here and now, be still.
In your anxiousness and worry, be still.
In the everyday moments of life, be still.
Be still and know you are not alone.
Are there other women in your life who could benefit from a daily dose of encouragement? Forward this email so they can click on this link to Subscribe to Daily Treasure to be better equipped to walk by faith on the pathway God has marked out for them.
Sharon W. Betters is author of Treasures of Encouragement, Treasures in Darkness, co-author of Treasures of Faith. and co-author with Susan Hunt of Aging with Grace, Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture. She is Director of Resource Development and co-founder of MARKINC.org, a non-profit organization that offers help and hope to hurting people. Sharon enjoys quality time with her husband, children, fourteen grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Contact Sharon with comments or questions at dailytreasure@markinc.org.