The Be-Still Season

Summer

Summer is a season all it’s own, but the change of pace it brings feels like time out of time. No homework, no after school activities. Sometimes summer feels like drifting softly on a raft under a partly cloudy sky.

At our house, this summer has been about driving practice, hanging out with friends, and sleeping late. It’s clear that I have two teenagers.

As for me, May, June and July have been about learning to slow down after running myself ragged. This is harder than it sounds. When I stopped, I realized I forgot how to be still. Did I ever really know?

On Being Still

Psalm 46:10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Exodus 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Psalm 37:7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!

Psalm 62:5 For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.

Job 6:24 Teach me, and I will be silent; make me understand how I have gone astray.

On Waiting

This summer the Lord has instituted a period of waiting for me. I am so blessed. Unlike so many of my classmates, I did not have to rush into finding a job as soon as I graduated (thank you, Lord & thank you, Sweetie)…I have had time to enjoy my kids and relearn the joy of cooking and housekeeping. For the first time in a long time, I am happy to have time to vacuum!

But the waiting? It has gone from hard and unfamiliar—to uncomfortable—to familiar—to comfortable. In this in-between-time, I have learned to listen and wait and shelter under the wing of the Almighty.

I did not learn this waiting on my own, but had some help from a few modern books/media and from the BEST Book. All of God’s Word is good, but I have been especially enjoying encouragement from the Psalms this summer. I am on Psalm 46 today:

Psalm 46

God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
    and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
    God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the Lord has done,
    the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
    to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Now that the summer season is just starting to draw to a close, I am in the midst of job interviews. I am praying that when life gets busy, I can remember what I have learned about being still.

Next time, I will share the books/media that have encouraged me to BE STILL. For now, tell me—how do you BE STILL?