Stillness ~ Overrated?
Stillness is defined as the absence of movement or sound. I couldn’t wrap my head around the word. I searched in the Bible. I pondered it. I just didn’t feel like God was pressing anything on my heart about “stillness”.
Matter of fact, just the opposite. I kept thinking of all the times God had said “go” or “move” or “act”. Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua, David, Elijah, Nehemiah, Ruth, Esther, Jonah, Mary, Joseph, John, Jesus, the Disciples – all of them told to go, to do, to move, to act in some way. And if I’m honest, there are so many times that God has prompted me to do, to go, to move, to act much more than sensing “stillness”.
The more I thought about it, the more it came to me that while I am here on earth, there is no complete absence of movement or sound.
The body needs the organs to work, blood to course through veins and arteries, a heart that pumps, brain to process, and lungs to breathe air. The stillness of all these functions is death. The earth needs to rotate around the sun, the sun and moon need to come up, clouds to form, and so on and so forth. I’m not science-y enough to know exactly what the stillness of earth would be, but I’m guessing catastrophic for its inhabitants.
I have determined it’s when I become too still that things go awry. Sometimes I have times of stillness where I don’t want to do anything and I just feel, for a lack of a better word, BLAH. Now don’t get me wrong, rest is good. Getting still for a little bit, just listening to your heart and breath, and the sounds of the earth, all good. I do believe that those times are necessary for God to connect with me, but God does not want me to live there!
God doesn’t want us to live in a land of complete stillness!
So what do I do when the balance seems off and BLAH has set in?
I put on my headphones with the sound cranked up as loud as it will go, dancing and lip syncing to the music. Occasionally I’ll grab something to use as a microphone just to finish the look off. I confess it’s usually some sort of pumped up music and not Christian in nature. I admit I’m a sinner and despite the fact, God will give me clarity and peace. The world around me dissolves and becomes still. My mind becomes still but my body and voice are moving together. So odd, the dichotomy of how my body works.
The more I thought about it, the more God pressed in the idea that He created mankind to need movement and sound. I think of all the times music, singing, and dancing are mentioned in the Bible: The Israelites sang and danced; David played the harp and danced through the streets; the Psalms were sung; and the Angels sang to the shepherds, just to give a few examples.
After all, the Creation of the World had to be a noisy process. Then there are the verses that talk about singing in heaven.
Stillness might be overrated.
I will exalt you, O LORD, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.
O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.
O LORD, you brought me up from the grave; you spared me from going down into the pit.
Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.
When I felt secure, I said, “I will never be shaken.”
O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm; but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.
To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy:
“What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help.”
You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.
~Psalm 30
So here’s my challenge to you. Maybe when you’re feeling stuck and blah, instead of getting still, just move! Sing and dance! If nothing else, it’s good practice for Heaven!
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“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Ecc. 3:1
A time to sing and a time to be still. (my words). As much as I think there is great value in solitude and silence, it isn’t meant to be all the time. Jesus didn’t stay on the mountain forever. Thanks for the rest of the story, Laura!!
“After all, the Creation of the World had to be a noisy process.” Love that observation as I picture the oceans being hemmed in, and the mountains rising out of the earth!! Noisy!! Times with God are good and needed, but are not always bathed in silence. And too much of the quiet can push me into feelings of isolation which never turn out for my good!
Thanks, Laura, for a fresh look at noise!!
Fresh, indeed! Thank you for sharing such good thoughts on delighting in God, cardiovascularly!
Great alternative perspective, Laura! The Holy Spirit definitely “moves” us!