Be Still
To be still can feel like a pause. It can be sitting in silence for a few minutes, going on a walk, having a cup of tea, or taking a nap (because naps are necessary sometimes). These can all be ways we process what “being still” looks like in our everyday lives.
I think that there is something quite powerful about a pause.
Often when there is a pause in a speech, conversation or action, the pause can feel longer than just a few seconds. It’s in that silence that our brains are able to process what was said or what happened or even anticipate what’s about to take place.
Pausing helps us process.
Here are some facts about pausing:
Pauses can help increase comprehension and give a moment to digest what is being said.
Pauses can help the brain prepare what to say.
Pauses can help avoid using words like “um, uh”.
Pausing can help us recall and remember what we want to say.
Pausing has many other benefits as well. It can reduce stress, improve decision making, increase better communication, creativity, intuition, and holds attention.
Pausing lets you BREATHE.
There are so many benefits to pausing that we can discover.
I think sometimes that we pause what we are doing to do something else. We press the “pause button” on a project to work on another project.
One thing I know - for sure - is that women are master multitaskers. We can juggle so many things and not miss a beat! But what if we pause to be still and connect with God?
Prioritize the pause. Be still and breathe.
Let’s practice the pause of taking some deep breaths a few times.
1. Breathe in… and breathe out…
2. Breathe in… and breathe out…
3. Breathe in… and breathe out…
How did that feel? Those deep breaths felt GREAT! It can be refreshing and peaceful to practice this exercise throughout the day.
Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.”
God knows what we need to do to help us connect with Him each day. Taking precious pauses can help us be still and know. Every breath we breathe gives Him glory. It’s the breath in our lungs that we use to exalt the name of the Lord.
Every breath we take we speak the name YHWH.
What is fascinating to me is that scholars and Rabbi’s believe that these letters represent breathing sounds. Try it! Without the vowels, this word sounds like breathing with a deep breath in, (YH), and a deep breath out, (WH). I love this!
Prioritizing the pause can feel like one of the most challenging things we do in our day. It can feel uncomfortable to pause because we are not accustomed to sitting still and being silent. It might feel unproductive or challenging.
Instead of putting pressure on the pause, what if we just practice taking a deep breath to be still and, in that moment, reflect on God and thank Him for what He has done? I often say, it’s the baby steps we take that help bring us to the place we want to go. In this case, it’s one breath at a time.
It’s okay to pause and take a moment to reset throughout our day. God knows what we need. It’s in the stillness that He can speak and reveal to us what our hearts need. In the stillness, He meets us.
In the pause, we can invite His presence and breathe. Be still, pause and just breathe!
-Bethany Marshall
