…but I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me…. Ps 131:2
For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.” But you were unwilling… Is 30:15Why is it so hard for us to sit in silence before the Lord? Why can’t I quiet my soul? The agitation and distraction can be relentless. So often I fight and lose. But it is a fight we must never stop fighting. Through struggle and surrender, David learned to calm and quiet himself before the Lord. It is the same road for us.I’m learning I have been fighting the wrong battle. The agitation is not my enemy. The enemy is my unwillingness to sit in it.
The Sacrifice of Stillness
Through the Spirit, discipline yourself to sit in the agitation. Let it be a sacrifice you bring to the Lord. In that sacrifice you will see the dark side of what you really love. Deep desires and unsettled emotions. Lies rooted in wrong beliefs. Beliefs that formed your story outside of God’s truth. Bringing these to the Lord begins to cleanse the inside of your cup, moving you from Pharisee to true life in Christ (Mt 23:25-27).
Jesus is The Way
What is the way to sit in silence? What is the way to quiet my soul?Jesus is always the Way (Jn 14:6). He is the answer to every question. We come to Him willingly and rest in His love. Not rooted and grounded in our efforts to love Him but rooted and grounded in His love for me (Ep 3:17).When I try to quiet my soul, I often give up. A deep-rooted belief tells me it is impossible. The voice says I will never find victory. I’ve had too many failures. We must respond to these lies with truth. All things are possible with God (Mk 10:27). He is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think (Ep 3:20). Believe these truths. Have faith in what God says is true.
How We Draw Near
And so we bring ourselves to the Lord in silence and contemplation. We seek and set our minds on things above, not on things of the earth (Co 3:1-2). We contemplate the cross, the truth of Scripture, the reality of Jesus making intercession for us (He 7:25). This is how we draw near.With consistency and discipline by the Spirit, the agitation will settle. Love will increase. Freedom will be found.We strive to seek the Kingdom, not perfection.
The Next Question
- When you seek and set your mind on Jesus what distracts you?
- What lie is hiding under the distraction?
- Do you really believe God is able to do the impossible in your life?Do you really believe He is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think?