As a counsellor and pastor, I have watched the proliferation of mental health struggles escalate over the past few decades, alongside the sweeping shift of Western culture into a high pressure, relentless cycle of fast-paced, multi-tasking, technology filled stress. It seems we have lost the art of slowing down, enjoying the journey, and mastering the skills of stillness and silence which are so fundamental to our own wellbeing, and so essential for being present with God.
I love the gems found in the poetic writings of the biblical psalmists:
- Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10)
- For God alone, my soul waits in silence (Psalm 62:1)
- I have stilled and quieted my soul; like a weaned child with its mother (Psalm 131:1)
I read with interest the life of Jesus the healer, who regularly sought silence and solitude in quiet places away from the crowd. Even though there were still many needing healing and freedom, he prioritised time to quiet himself and sit to be replenished at the feet of the Father.
In this day and age, slowing down and waiting don’t come easily. We are better at microwaving than marinading, and even if we manage to shut the door on all the competing voices, and demands of daily life, it is not uncommon to find some internal resistance to stopping and stilling our interior world. Our busy minds have been likened to a tree full of monkeys jumping about, constantly distracting us, making internal quiet a challenge! Stillness is not just about finding space from the external pressures of life, but about stepping back from the busy activity of our minds, quieting our racing thoughts and cultivating a tranquil interior space where we tune into shalom peace.
This was illustrated to me by a profound metaphor in 2016. My husband and I went scuba diving on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, a globally renown dive site. As we travelled there, I felt God whisper to me that he was going to teach me something on this trip, leaving me intrigued! Our first scuba dive was at a depth of 20 metres exploring a stunning underwater reef wall. The turbulent current was running quite fast and suddenly, I found myself floating rapidly to the surface. This was alarming as ascending too quickly can be dangerous because of nitrogen bubbles in the blood potentially causing decompression sickness. I eventually deflated my air vest enough to descend again, only to find the same thing happening again, leaving me feeling very anxious throughout the dive!
The head instructor noticed and invited me to go diving with her in the afternoon. She explained to me the challenging diving conditions had made me anxious which meant I was breathing faster, increasing the oxygen in my lungs, causing me to rise to the surface. She took me to a beautiful calm dive site and taught me to focus on slowly exhaling whenever I felt anxious, allowing me to control my depth by changing the way I breathed. As I mastered this new breathing technique I found I could dive at greater depths, opening up a spectacular new world filled with exquisite marine life; stunning tropical fish, corals, sharks and turtles which could not be seen in the shallow waters. I knew God was speaking to me through this incident, teaching me to slow down. I needed to learn to ‘exhale’ in life, He was inviting me to make space to go deeper with Him into the new realms of experience He wanted to open to me.
Slowing down and stilling ourselves in the rush and noise of life is a discipline that like anything else, requires practice to cultivate. Interior stillness releases a capacity in us to engage with God at a deeper level. As our gaze settles on Him, we become aware of a listening stillness and a deep awareness being awakened, our spirit is alert, and we can sense the presence and peace of God within. In this place of internal quiet and spiritual attentiveness it is easy to be conscious of words that God drops into your heart. The apostle John described this state as being ‘in the spirit’ (Revelation 1:10), a state where we are totally engaged with the active flow of God. It is in this place our perception is heightened to thoughts, pictures, impressions and feelings flowing from the heart of God. Here we experience fresh insights, ‘lightbulb’ moments, words of wisdom, direction, encouragement, loving adjustments, reassurance and divine encounters.
In my own personal journey, and in my observations over decades of inner healing and counselling work, cultivating the capacity to be still with God, listen to His voice and encounter His presence, has been the most restorative, healing practice I have ever witnessed.
Some of the simple ways to facilitate this are making some space in your life to:
- Focus on slowing your breathing and transition to a listening stillness inside.
- Tune into how you sense His indwelling presence.
- Think about things He has done for you and cultivate gratitude towards Him.
- Express your affection toward Him.
- Remember and meditate on previous encounters with Him.
- Read small portions of scripture slowly and reflectively.
- Meditate on words He has spoken to you.
- Listen to music that represents worship and beauty to you.
- Engage with the beauty of creation; beaches, rivers, trees, mountains, skies, birds and flowers.
What is 1 thing you can adjust in your life to make space to be still and tune into the presence of God?
May you be blessed as you journey deep into the heart of God and experience the fullness that is shalom life.
Noni Potter
