I often read the first part of the verse above and respond in one of the following ways.

• “But I’m so willing to help you, Father, and you know how much there is to be done.”
• “I will, as soon as I finish this important task.”
• “Oh, just wait until you hear. I’m doing so much less than usual. This time last week I had seven major projects in the works. I’ve cut that back to only three. I’ll be able to take a break as soon as those are under control.”
• “It’s obvious that you’re referring to worldly efforts. What I’m doing is the work of your church.”
• “Ok. But just let me tell you one more thing. My cousin needs comforting…oh, and my friend has that test coming up…and don’t forget my sister’s request for your intervention…”

Do any of these sound familiar to you? If so, I hope it helps to know that you’re not alone. Let’s not despair. Just keep reading for ways to change unhealthy habits.

If we could still our minds long enough to hear God’s entire thoughts in this verse we would learn that not only does He want me to allow Him to be God, He goes on to say that when we do, He is “exalted among the nations…”

When I am in the throes of conflict, temptation, or depression it is hard for me to trust God to be in charge. As is said in 12-step programs, one of the most powerful things we can do is to “Let go and let God.”

But our culture demands that we be ever productive, striving toward first one goal and then another. After all, we don’t want to be a burden on others by not carrying our own weight. How can we possibly “be still” when we have so many responsibilities?

Here are a few ways to clear the path toward regular periods of stillness.

1. Share the joy of service. When I call upon a loved one to serve alongside me, I am offering her the chance to experience the satisfaction that comes with a life well lived. I suffer from infrequent bouts of positional vertigo. At times it interferes with my driving. One day I called a sister-in-Christ to see if she could take me to a doctor’s appointment. When explaining to me that she could not she thanked me for asking her. I got off the phone feeling better than when I was dialing her number, filled with the dread of asking. I quickly dialed another sister’s number before the evil one could dissuade me. She would be happy to take me, she said, then she thanked me for asking.
2. Think in bite-size portions of time. Sometimes I can talk myself out of doing something because I try to take on too much at once. If I tell myself that my quiet time with God has to last an hour to be worth anything to Him, I’m buying into one of the lies the evil one uses to isolate me from God. Even if I’m in the middle of an important assignment at work, I can often take a few seconds to close my eyes, take a deep breath and repeat the above verse in my mind. This not only allows me a moment to center my focus on Him, it can also result in better performance of my job.
3. Step away from the distractions of this world. Treat yourself to time without the television, iPod or cell phone so that you can listen for the Holy Spirit’s urgings. There is nothing inherently evil about any of these forms of communication, but they distract us from our goal when we set apart time to be still.
4. Be intentional and make quiet time a priority. We schedule dentist appointments, car maintenance and lunch dates. Why not schedule our quiet time with the Lord? Of course, simply entering QT into our calendars won’t guarantee that we make these meetings. It will then be up to us to defend and protect that commitment against potential intruders and usurpers. It is up to us to show up.
5. Think about what is keeping you from being still. Are you afraid to trust our God to take care of things while you’re off duty? Are you in fear of missing an “important” deadline? Are you terrified that you might find out that you are not the one in control? Fear can rob us of our joy. Put your foot down and remind yourself that the God who set the stars in the sky and the earth on its axis is big enough to handle any of our fears, even those thrown at us by the evil one.

Now say the verse above and wallow in the promise in the second part. If we focus on Him alone and are confident in His role as God, we will change the world. We don’t have to understand how this will work itself out; we just have to be obedient and take Him at His word.

Dear God, I love you and praise you for being who you are and for loving me as I am while calling me to greater heights. Give me the courage and the willingness to trust you completely. Thank you for using me to impact others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Cindy Phiffer