Learn to Be Still

Almost twenty years ago I saw the Eagles Reunion Tour. I was in my late twenties when I heard Don Henley sing, “Learn To Be Still”. I liked it then and I like it now. But wow, there is a vast difference in the way it speaks to me in my forties than the way it did back then.

Now I hear in Henley’s voice the echo of Blaise Paschal who observed the great problem of man as not knowing how to sit quietly in his own room. Now I hear in the song not only the restlessness of the world but the restlessness in the church and even deeper, my own refusal at times to be still and quiet my soul.

It seems that we will not be led by still waters, that only the rushing, thrilling ones will do—especially when it comes to ministry. I find our church culture awash in “hip” activities and “community” promising outings, but little or no intentionality toward stillness or contemplation.

My children don’t like to be still either. But unless they can (even for just a few minutes) they cannot have their cups refilled, “hold it still please”, or their hurts tended to, “sweetie, be still while I put on the Band-Aid” or even be listened to, “take a deep breath, try to be still, and tell me again.”

As result, God’s children have empty cups, unhealed wounds and a great fear that no one is listening to us—and are they? Is it really possible that being still and learning to sit quietly in our own rooms might be the very key to ministry?

Let the shepherd lead his sheep by still waters. Let’s learn to be still.

Practice the art of being still at Seasons Weekend Summer 2016 in Palm Springs, CA, happening July 8th-10th. Join Nicole Johnson, Jay & Katherine Wolf, Dr. Curt Thompson and the entire Seasons Weekend team for a weekend of contemplation, music, artistic perspectives, psychological insights, prayer, and rest. www.SeasonsWeekend.com